Many products that are commonly found in homes contain hazardous ingredients. These can be found in products made for cleaning, painting, beautifying, healing, or disinfecting and may be used in the house, yard, or garage. All of these should be used, stored and disposed of responsibly.
Read the labels of the products in your home. Words such as: poison, toxic, corrosive, volatile, flammable, inflammable, combustible, explosive, danger, caution, warning and harmful are signs that the contents are hazardous. Such products should:
ALWAYS be disposed of by trained personnel at a facility designated for HHW collection
NEVER be flushed down the toilet, sink or drain where they will eventually make their way into our water systems impacting wildlife and potentially humans
NEVER be thrown in the trash where they can injure or poison sanitation workers and leach into our soil, polluting our groundwater
and NEVER be poured on the ground or in the gutter or storm drain where it will be carried directly into nearby streams, harming our wildlife and waterways.
We Do Accept the following Household Hazardous Wastes:
aerosol cans
antifreeze
chemicals
cleaners
dioxins
fertilizers
fluorescent bulbs
gasoline
glue & adhesives
kerosene
mercury thermometers and switches
paints
pesticides
poisons
prescription drugs
thinners
We do NOT accept the following HHW:
batteries (accepted regularly at the Summit County recycling drop-off centers)
explosives of any kind
infectious or biologically active materials
motor oil & oil filters (accepted regularly at Summit County recycling drop-off centers)
propane or grill gas tanks (accepted at Ferrel Gas for a small fee)
radioactive materials
shock sensitive materials
HHW
Collection Fees (subject to change)
First 5 gallons free per resident, after that....
$1.00 per gallon
These fees are for residents and
households only. Small Quantity Conditionally
Exempt Generators (small businesses) are asked
to call 468-9263, ext. 13 to inquire about fees
and regulations.
Materials MUST be in original containers and/or
clearly labeled.
PLEASE NOTE - Summit County's
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Program operates
by appointment only during winter months (November through
March). For an appointment, or with any questions regarding
the program, please call 970-468-9263.
A word about the expense of HHW Disposal:
There are no incentives or regulations in the U.S. that require manufacturers to support the safe disposal of the products listed above. Presently, the burden of cost for end-of-life management lies with you, the consumer, and with local communities.
The low fees listed above are made possible by the support of the organizations listed below. These organizations believe household hazardous waste in our community should not be thrown down the drain or in the landfill. Collectively, they contribute approximately $12,000 annually to this program. The prices therefore do not reflect the true cost of disposal, but a significant subsidy by our local governments and especially our local waste water treatment plants.
All over the world, including neighboring Canada, the concept of "Extended Producer Responsibility" is creating incentives for manufacturers of paint and pesticides to create less toxic products or pay for their end-of-life management. To help make Producer Responsibility a reality in the US, take the time to write your elected officials and the manufacturers of the products you buy and tell them what you think.
Contact High Country Conservation Center at 970-668-5703 for more information.
Thank you to our generous funders: The Town of Frisco, The Town of Breckenridge, The Summit Fire Authority, Frisco Sanitation District, Breckenridge Sanitation District, Snake River Treatment Plant, Silverthorne/Dillon Joint Authority, and the Summit County Waste Facility (landfill).
And a very special thanks to The Summit Foundation for the grant that made this on-going collection program a reality.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Solar celebration Friday, June 20, 4pm to 6pm at the Ecoasis in Breckenridge. Celebrate
the Solstice, toast the Sun, check out groovy solar gadgets and mingle
with Summit County's renewable energy experts at the Solar Celebration!
walk, bus or Bike to Work Day Wednesday, June 25th. Get out of your car and walk, take the
Stage, or bike to work. You'll feel better and earn great eco-karma
points too! Stop by one of three locations for free breakfast. Breckenridge
at the Riverwalk Center from 7:30am to 9am; Frisco
at the Frisco Community Center (110 3rd Ave) from 7am to 9am; Silverthorne
at the Recreation Center from 6:30-9:30am.
