From getting rid of a bulk appliance to larger projects like renovations, moving, and estate sales, we all generate junk that we can’t (or don’t want to) dispose of ourselves. Junk removal companies fulfill this vital service, helping get household waste to the proper facilities. But what happens when the junk they remove is hazardous? Today, we look at what happens when a junk removal company takes hazardous waste and how businesses like NEDT help.
Common Types of Household Hazardous Waste
What types of household hazardous waste do homes generate? All these items require careful disposal and often can’t enter landfills, go down the drain, or enter recycling facilities as-is. Just like you, the removal companies need to handle and dispose of them properly:
- Home Improvement: This includes everything from paint (challenging to dispose of in bulk) to gardening supplies like fertilizers.
- Electronics: Products that contain hazardous heavy metals like CTR monitors and TVs to certain types of batteries.
- Hobbies and Crafts: Specialty supplies like photography products, pool chemicals, automotive products, and glues and adhesives.
- Heavy-Duty Cleaners: Everything from furniture polish to carpet cleaner, as well as corrosive cleaners like muriatic acid.
- Flammables: Everything from small camper stove tanks to propane to gasoline (which does go bad).
To learn more about common types of hazardous waste, read our blogs on handling large products during events like estate sales and identifying household hazardous waste. Also, it’s important to note that some hazardous waste cannot be disposed of as easily, such as medical waste or asbestos.
What Junk Haulers Do with Hazardous Waste
Junk removal businesses fulfill an important service to get household waste from residences to proper disposal facilities. Part of their skill set is their knowledge of local regulations and their network of companies and facilities to make sure everything is disposed of properly. Often, they partner with companies like NEDT Household Hazardous Collection Centers to dispose of the wide variety of household hazardous waste they encounter. It’s an important part of their network alongside municipal facilities and other private companies.
If you’re a junk removal company, NEDT can help you dispose of the residential hazardous waste you collect at any of our MA locations. We would love to work with you. We also partner with small businesses through MA’s Very Small Quality Generators (VSQG) program. If you’re a resident looking to dispose of their hazardous waste separately, you can also come to our collection centers or contact us for a pick up.
Oh, hello! My son’s college mate has a lot of old appliances to get rid of from her apartment. Thank goodness you reminded us that discarded electronics can’t be thrown into landfills. I’ll make sure she reaches out to a junk removal company to make further arrangements.
This is so pertinent to my business! So far, we have not been accepting any hazardous waste from our customers because our St Lucie County Landfill does not accept it from us as a business. Do you by any chance know any companies that will accept it from us in St Lucie County or the Treasure Cost area in Florida?