Household Hazardous Waste

2020 Household Hazardous Waste Event

The City of Durango and La Plata County are partnering to host a household hazardous waste event in 2020. The event will take place at the La Plata County Fairgrounds located at 2500 Main Ave. on September 18 and 19, 2020. Commercial waste will be accepted on September 18 and residential waste will be accepted on September 19.

Check back here and sign up for City of Durango notifications to learn more about event details, including accepted materials.

In 2016, the City of Durango - La Plata County Household Hazardous Waste Event resulted in the diversion of over 28,000 lbs of hazardous waste from landfill.

What is Household Hazardous Waste?

HHWHousehold hazardous waste (HHW) includes products that contain toxic, corrosive, highly reactive or flammable materials. If disposed of improperly, hazardous waste can pollute ground or surface water and pose a threat to wildlife and human health.

Never pour hazardous substances down the drain, on the ground or in the storm drain.

Many household products such as paint, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides can contain hazardous ingredients and require special care when you dispose of them.

Typical household hazardous wastes include:

  • Automotive care products and fluids
  • Cleaning products
  • Expired medications
  • Fluorescent bulbs
  • Household batteries
  • Insect / weed killers
  • Mercury thermometers and thermostats
  • Non-latex paints and solvents

Reducing HHW in Your Home

  • Check the ingredients of products before bringing them into your home - consider reducing your purchase of products that contain hazardous ingredients
  • When shopping for household cleaning supplies and pest control, consider buying environmentally friendly, natural products - use the EPA Safer Choice guidelines to help identify safer productsNatural Cleaning
  • Try out simple recipes you can use to create your own natural and effective cleaning products at home
  • If you do need to purchase a product containing hazardous substances, buy only as much as you need and either use it up yourself or offer to friends and family who can make use of what you don’t.

Safe Management of HHW

  • DO NOT pour hazardous substances down the drain or in the toilet, on the ground or in the storm drain
  • Always store hazardous substances safely in their original containers. Never store hazardous products in food containers
  • Never mix hazardous substances with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode and contaminated HHW may be unrecyclable
  • Follow package instructions for use, storage and disposal.

HHW DisposalDurangoRecycles.com

Find out how to responsibly dispose of almost anything using the DurangoRecycles.com "What Goes Where?" tool.

Latex Paint Recycling

Colorado’s Paint Stewardship Law benefits household hazardous waste programs. A new law passed in June 2014 requires paint manufacturers to establish a paint stewardship program in Colorado. Household hazardous waste (HHW) programs that participate can save money on paint management costs. Program funding comes from a "PaintCare Recovery Fee" applied to each container of architectural paint sold in Colorado when the program began on July 1, 2015. For more information visit: Colorado Paint Stewardship Program Fact Sheet (PDF)