Our Green Streets Blog

Read on from the monthly newsletter of Denver Recycles:

For many of us, spring is a time when we clean out our basements and garages. The act of spring cleaning is a great way to start anew; however it can also leave us perplexed as to what to do with the leftover fertilizers, pesticides, stains, varnishes and CFLs that we no longer need but know are not safe to throw in the trash.  Through its Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program, the City & County of Denver can help you safely dispose of chemicals and other household hazardous waste that you come across during your spring cleaning.

Residents of the City and County of Denver are eligible once per year for a free collection of household hazardous waste.  Residents may schedule a door-to-door collection at their home or in some unique cases, an appointment to drop off materials at the facility. Materials accepted through the program are: aerosols, automotive fluids (degreasers, oils, etc.), batteries, caulk, grout, cleaners and polishes (drain, oven, carpet, etc.), CFLs and fluorescent tubes, expired medications, fertilizer, garden chemicals, gasoline, fuel, kerosene, glue, hobby supplies, insecticides and poisons (bug spray, weed killers, etc.), lubricants, metal polishes, moth balls, paint, photography chemicals, sealants, stains and varnishes, solvents and thinners (turpentine, etc.), pool chemicals and thermometers.

To schedule a collection appointment, please call 1-800-HHW-PKUP (1-800-449-7587).  Please note that you must have at least three different types of items or 25 pounds of materials to schedule an appointment.  Home collections are limited to the contents of the supplied collection kit bag (approximately 12-gallons of materials based on container size) and drop-off collections are limited to 125 pounds.  Additionally, up to 5 auto batteries and a total of 5 fluorescent bulbs (tubes and CFLs) can be included with a collection.  If you have household hazardous waste in excess of 12 gallons or 125 pounds and are willing to pay for its collection, you should speak to the hotline operator about that when you call to make your appointment.

For more information on the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program call 3-1-1 or visit  DenverGov.org/DenverRecycle