Things just pile up—that’s the nature of both life and owning a home. Crawlspaces, garages, attics, basements, and more: they fill up with all those things we’re sure we’ll need, not sure how to dispose of, or “just in case.” At some point, after years of this happening, you want to get rid of it. This blog will tell you how. Today, we’re going to go over what to do if you’ve got decades of household hazardous waste, especially if it’s been a while since you reviewed what’s considered hazardous.
Dates to Remember for Hazardous Waste: 1976 & 1984
While a lot has changed over the decades under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) stewardship, the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) have had the greatest impact on what is considered hazardous waste and how it has been handled. If you have products before those times, they may not be listed as hazardous waste on the containers, meaning it’s up to you to identify and dispose of them properly.
Resources for Identifying Household Hazardous Waste
With this information, it’s time to turn to your state and city’s laws on household hazardous waste and the tools they provide for identifying these products. For the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this includes:
- MassDEP Hazardous Household Products Search: Use MassDEP’s (the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection) search to find your type of household hazardous waste and your disposal options. Link is here.
- NEDT Fact Sheets: We’ve combined MassDEP information with additional reading, information, and tips to create our Fact Sheets Center. Learn more about how to use these, including PDF options, here.
Need some additional resources? Make sure to check out our blog, Hazardous Waste Disposal Resources for Massachusetts Residents.
Dealing with Large Hazardous Waste Cleanouts
So, let’s say you’ve identified a lot of household hazardous waste in your home. What are your next steps? If you can transport it in your car, you may have municipal options available to you, but these may be available only at certain times or during specific events. Junk haulers, who you might have taking away other non-hazardous products, may also take these products, but often with steep fees, since they have to take them to a hazardous waste disposal company.
A third option is to go right to the hazardous waste disposal company themselves. Here at NEDT, we’re here to help you cleanout your hazardous waste from your home, even if it takes one of our large trucks and multiple technicians to get the job done. We’ll work with you to schedule a pick-up time that works for you and bring all the equipment needed to transport your products. For smaller loads, you can also drop off at one of our collection centers. Have any questions? Contact us today!
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