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"A great place to live, work, and play." |
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"A great place to live, work, and play." |
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 Guide to disposal/recycling options for hazardous waste Antifreeze
Antifreeze contains a hazardous chemical, ethylene glycol that should not be disposed in trash, sewers, or drains. This chemical tastes and smells sweet, making it attractive to children and pets- be sure to store it out of their reach! Reduce and Reuse: Antifreeze does not "go bad." Make sure to use up the whole bottle before you buy another one. If you cannot use it up, offer it to a friend or neighbor. Recycle: The companies below will recycle unwanted antifreeze usually for a small fee:
Car batteries contain lead and sulfuric acid, and should not be disposed of in landfills. Local battery recyclers can recycle the lead, sulfuric acid and plastic casing. When you buy a new battery at a service station, ask them to recycle the old one. The facilities listed below will accept automotive or boat batteries free of charge. Call for specific guidelines.
** Free for Detroit residents only
Batteries (Household)
Household batteries (dry cells) contain heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, etc.) that can pose a potential threat to water and human health if disposed of improperly. Reduce: Use an A/C adapter instead of batteries whenever possible. Reuse: Use rechargeable batteries to save money and the environment. One charger can charge many different sizes of batteries. Recycle: Household batteries can be brought to Van Buren Township’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. Contact the facilities listed below for recycling options:
* Fee: price range $0.35-$5.50. Contact Doug Smith for further price information ** Free for Detroit residents only Cell phones Just as batteries, unused cell phones are hazardous waste when disposed improperly. The heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, etc could be a threat to human health and the environment.
Reduce:
Only replace your cell phone when it is damaged and not able to function
properly anymore
Reuse:
You can donate undesirable cell phones to companies such as ReCellular and they
re-sell the phones with affordable prices to countries in
Recycle: You can avoid dumping hazardous elements from your cell phones by recycling at the end of their life cycle. Contact your carrier – they may offer a cell phone recycling program and a tax credit for recycling cell phones through their program. You can also contact the facilities listed below for recycling options:
** Free for Detroit residents only Computers According to Stanford Research Inc., between 1997 and 2007, nearly 500 million personal computers will become obsolete-almost two computers for each person in the United States. That will amount to 6.32 billion pounds of plastics, 1.58 billion pounds of lead, 3 million pounds of cadmium, 1.9 million pound of chromium & 632,000 pounds of mercury. Presently most E-waste ends up in our landfills or incinerators. We can prevent adding to the growing proportions of hazardous waste in the following ways: Reuse: Some computer stores will buy computers in working order or consider donating your computer to a non-profit organization, such as a local church, school, or shelter. Recycle: Residents can avoid contributing to the growing hazardous e-waste by recycling electronics at the end of their life cycle. Listed below are some of the possible computer de-manufacturing companies operating in Southeast Michigan, call first to see if there is a charge.
For Rebates of up to $50 for donating or recycling an old PC, call (888) 285-6201 and contact Gateway customer service or visit http://www.gateway.com/about/corp_responsibility/env_options.shtml Inkjet & Laser Cartridges All US Post Offices provide prepaid mailing envelopes for used inkjet cartridges. The cartridges are sent for recycling. Check your local post office for details. Other facilities accepting cartridges are listed below.
** Free for Detroit residents only Mercury Mercury is a cancer-causing substance and neurotoxin that can cause harm through direct contact and from inhalation. It is most commonly found in household thermometers and becomes a hazard when the thermometer, or other mercury-containing device, breaks. Due to mercury's volatility and potential for inhalation, spilled mercury should be cleaned up as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Call the MDEQ at 1-800-292-4706 to report pollution emergencies and call the DEQ Environmental Assistance center at 1-800-662-9278 for non-emergency calls only. The following organization will accept mercury-containing devices (thermometers, thermostats, switches) or free flowing mercury for proper disposal:
** Free for Detroit residents only
Motor Oil
Used motor oil contains toxic impurities such as lead and cadmium, and can pose serious threats to our environment if disposed of improperly. If oil is poured onto the ground, or down a sewer or storm drain, toxic substances could eventually end up in our lakes, streams, or drinking water. Therefore, it is of great importance that used motor oil is disposed of properly. Recycle: When a service station changes your oil, it recycles the old oil. When changing your own oil, place it into a sturdy, sealed, clear container (such as a milk jug), and deliver it to one of the facilities listed below for free recycling:
* Free up to 5 gallons ** Free for Detroit residents only *** Per 5 gallons bottle
Oil based paints and paint thinners contain solvents that are flammable and evaporate quickly, creating fumes that you breathe. Many paints contain heavy metals such as cadmium, and oil paints can contain lead. These materials can pose serious threats to human health if disposed of improperly. Reduce: Buy only as much as you need to do the job. Try to share leftover paint with neighbors and friends. For paint that must be disposed of, consider the following disposal guidelines: o Latex paint is only dangerous while in its liquid form. Once dried out, it can be safely disposed of with your regular trash. Sawdust or kitty litter can be added to speed up the drying process. o Oil based paint can be brought to Van Buren Township’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. Also, check out the following list of facilities:
** Free for Detroit residents only Propane Tanks
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