Household Hazardous Waste
Where can I dispose of personal medical waste, such as diabetic supplies and needles?
Bend Garbage & Recycling takes medical waste, including needles. For more information, please call Bend Garbage & Recycling at 382-2263.
What are the alternatives to toxic household cleaning products?
There are several locations throughout Central Oregon where nontoxic cleaning products can by purchased. Click here for a list.
Where can I recycle antifreeze?
Deschutes Recycling now has a tank on site at the Knott Landfill to accept antifreeze on a daily basis. There is a $1/gallon fee, to cover their transportation costs. The antifreeze is eventually sent to a refinery in Salt Lake City, where it is recycled into an industrial lubricant.
What products should I avoid and what harm do they do?
Anything labeled as toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive, infectious, or radioactive can be toxic to your home and family. You should also look out for words like "danger", "warning", and "caution." These are signal words for products that contain harmful ingredients for you and your household. The following web sites have lists of hazardous household products and their warnings:
oregon.earth911.org/usa/master.asp?s=ls&a=HHW&cat=9
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/hhw-list.htm
muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/wasteman/wm6003.htm
www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/housewaste/src/open.htm
Also, the book Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan is a good resource for finding ways to clean your house the non-toxic way, and is located at the Deschutes Public Library.
www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/solwaste/hhw/hhw.html
muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/wasteman/wm6003.htm
What are some common sources of toxins in the home or office?
Dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene, or "perc" as it is known in the business. Perc is a hydrocarbon derived from petroleum, with chlorine molecules attached. As a "chlorinated hydrocarbon," perc shares certain characteristics with other chlorinated hydrocarbons: they tend to be soluble in fat and not in water (and therefore they tend to accumulate in fatty tissues as they pass through the food chain); they tend to persist for a long time in the environment; and they tend to be toxic. New wet cleaning techniques are available in some cities, which use environmentally safe alternatives to the harmful percs. Old surfaces with lead paint on them. See LEAD topic on this site.
http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/2002/perc_adopt.htm
What are the alternatives to classic (and toxic) dry cleaning methods?
Modern machine wet cleaning uses large, specialized machines to gently
wash and dry clothes. These machines may be programmed for many variables, such as mechanical action, water and drying temperature, moisture
levels in the dryer, and water and detergent volume. This flexible technology
provides cleaners with the controls to administer a customized wet
wash suited to a fabric's specific needs. The detergents used for this technique are similar to other detergents used in washers at home. A popular chemical used as an alternative to perchloroethylene is Df2000, which is a petroleum based product approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Though they are not benign to the environment, theses chemicals are a lot better than the dry cleaning chemicals.
*http://www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/garment/gcrg/cleanguide.h
Where can I find “wet cleaners” in Central Oregon?
Click here for a list of eco-friendly dry cleaners.
What should I do with household hazardous waste?
You should never dispose of your household toxic trash down the sink, on the ground, down a storm drain, or in your garbage can. Disposing of the waste improperly can result in contaminated ground water and the poisoning of fish and wildlife.
Please keep in mind:
- Never mix household chemicals in the same or separate containers. REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER, AS THEY CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
- Always keep household chemicals in well-labeled containers.
Dispose of your household hazardous liquid waste by taking it to the Hazardous Waste Collection Event, sponsored by Deschutes County, every spring during the Third weekend in June. Contact the Deschutes County Solid Waste Department at 541-317-3163, Crook County Solid Waste Department at 541-447-2398, Jefferson County Solid Waste Department at 541-475-2449, or our local DEQ (388-6146) for more information. Unfortunately this is the only event in Central Oregon available for proper disposal of household hazardous liquid waste.
Both Prineville Disposal and Crook County Disposal take only auto batteries and used motor oil for recycling, but no other hazardous wastes. Crook County Landfill will take any hazardous material that is not liquid. Knott Landfill takes the following list of hazardous materials, but it is best to call the Deschutes County Solid Waste Department before hand for specific forms to fill out and important preparations for the waste: asbestos, auto batteries (for recycling only), contaminated soil, paint, and used motor oil.
The Box Canyon Transfer Station takes oil, paint, batteries, and tires, but none of these items are later recycled.www.deschutes.org/go/government/departments/solid-waste/disposal-sites
What should my business do with hazardous waste?
The best source to find out about disposing of a large amount of hazardous waste, like from a business, is to call the local DEQ (388-6146), Knott Landfill (317-3163), or Deschutes Recycling, LLC (388-1910). They can tell you exactly what to do with it and what paper work you must fill out. The DEQ also prints a "Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator Handbook" for businesses that produce hazardous waste.
For other hazardous waste disposal questions visit:
http://www.deschutes.org/go/government/departments/solid-waste
http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/hw/hw.htm
http://oregon.earth911.org/usa/master.asp?s=ls&type=3
The http://www.deq.state.or.us site also has a calendar of local events on it, like classes on household hazardous waste, etc., and the Oregon DEQ prints a "Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator Handbook" available to the public.
Where can I dispose of old paint?
Knott Landfill- (541) 317-3163
Prineville Disposal -(541) 447-2398
Box Canyon Transfer Station (541) 475-2449
Miller Lumber 110 North East Greenwood Avenue Bend, OR 97701 Phone: (541) 382-4301
Redmond Ace Hardware 640 South West Evergreen Avenue Redmond, OR 97756 Phone: (541) 548-2213
Lutton's Ace Hardware 373 East Hood Avenue Sisters, OR 97759 Phone: (541) 549-8011.
Where can I dispose of/recycle used motor oil?
Northwest Transfer Station 68200 Fryrear Road Bend, OR 97701 Phone: (541) 317-3163
Knott Landfill Recycling Center, 61000 Southeast 27th Street BEND, OR 97702
Phone: (541) 317-3163Redmond Recycling 200 Northeast Hemlock Avenue, Redmond, OR 97756 Phone: (541) 548-4984
Negus Transfer Station, 2400 Northeast Maple Avenue Redmond, OR 97756 Phone: (541) 317-3163
Southwest Transfer Station 54500 Highway 97, La Pine, OR 97739, Phone: (541) 317-3163
Crook County Landfill Huston Lake Rd, Prineville, OR 97754 Phone: (541) 447-2398 -
Madras Sanitary 1778 North West Mills Street, Madras, OR 97741 Phone: (541) 475-2071
McKenzie Bridge Transfer Station, 55805 McKenzie Highway, Blue River, OR 97413
Phone: (541) 682-4120All Central Oregon Schuck's Auto Supply locations accept used motor oil.
What happens to the hazardous liquids collected at the Deschutes County hazardous waste collection event?
MSE Environmental, out of Camarillo, CA, comes to the landfill and ships the material out of Central Oregon.
*Deschutes County Solid Waste Department
