When you organize to reduce clutter, you generate waste. That waste needs to go somewhere. Depending on where you live, you probably have a trash collection service that regularly picks up and hauls off the garbage to a landfill. But did you know that not all trash is the same? In fact, some kinds should never reach the landfill due to various hazards and dangers. Here are four types of household waste that require special handling.
Batteries
It never feels quite right to toss away batteries, does it? Even when they run out of power, they’re still hard little metal cylinders filled with chemicals that leak, explode, and generally cause all sorts of havoc in the environment and elsewhere. Don’t throw them away! Set up a case where you can store batteries until you’re ready to dispose of them. A plastic or cardboard box or similar nonconductive container is best. After you’ve filled it, consult your local government about special waste disposal. They may have a program that recycles batteries. Car batteries are especially easy to get rid of. Take them to a mechanic or auto parts store. Most will accept your old battery and recycle it.
Hand Sanitizer
During the pandemic, we saw an uptick in the use of hand sanitizer. That was good for fighting germs but not so great for the ecosystem. The bottles they come in are usually recyclable, but what if there’s some left at the bottom? You may be surprised to learn that sanitizers containing alcohol have the potential to ignite. Therefore, don’t pour any remaining hand sanitizer down the drain. It can catch fire or explode in the presence of other gases. It’s not good for wildlife in general either. Check to see if your town offers a household hazardous waste program, and get rid of old hand sanitizer bottles that way.
Large Appliances
If you didn’t know it already, large appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, hot water heaters, and other big appliances are called white goods (based on the fact that they’re usually colored white, naturally). Unless you have a special once-a-month trash collection in your town, you generally can’t just leave a large appliance out on the curb for pick up. White goods take up space in landfills. They can also contain mercury, freon, PCBs, and other elements and components that can seriously harm the ecosystem and water supply if they leak. Big appliances are best for scrapyards and merchants who take apart and repurpose the metal and other parts.
Grass and Other Yard Waste
Here’s the last of our four types of household waste that require special handling. Cut grass and raked leaves seem harmless, but landfills have banned them since the early 1990s. Decaying landscape waste creates methane, which can explode and catch fire. Consider purchasing a composter and saving lawn waste and vegetable scraps to create healthy soil for a backyard garden. Otherwise, you should call for specific yard waste collection.
