Department of Public Works

Household Hazardous Waste Program

Household hazardous waste is accepted year-round by appointment on weekdays at four centers around the county:

To schedule an appointment call (616) 336-2570 or Email us!

Household hazardous waste is also collected on certain Saturday dates, requiring no appointment scheduled periodically throughout the spring, summer and fall.

View the 2013 Hazardous Waste Saturday Collection Schedule »

What is Hazardous Waste?

A product is considered hazardous if it has one or more of the following properties:

• Toxic - poisonous or lethal when ingested, touched or inhaled;
• Flammable - ignitable and burns easily;
• Corrosive - eats through materials & living tissue; or
• Reactive - can possibly explode or react with other chemicals.

We store hazardous products in drums in these divided sheds build specifically for hazardous materials. Each section safely stores corrosive products, poisons and flammable liquids. A fire suppression system is installed in each container in case a spark or chemical reaction causes a fire.

Materials that CAN be accepted

Miscellaneous

• Aerosol cans
• Batteries
• Fluorescent light bulbs, including CFL bulbs
• Inks and Dyes
• Mercury thermostats or thermometers
• Photo developer chemicals
• Pool chemicals
• Fire Extinguishers

Materials that CANNOT be accepted

• Latex paint (water based) – may be dried out and placed in your regular trash.
• Friable asbestos – Call the local Michigan Department of Environmental Quality at (616) 356-0500 for proper removal guidelines and disposal requirements and regulations.
• Barrels or large drums - nothing larger than a five-gallon container.
• Explosives, ammunition, fireworks and flares – contact your local public safety agency (sheriff’s department, police department, state police)
• Materials from farms, businesses, offices, schools or institutions.
• Medical waste
• Smoke detectors and radioactive materials
• Propane, helium & other tanks (refillable)

HHW Reduction, Reuse, Recycle, and Disposal Options

The actions of reducing, reusing, recycling, and properly disposing - listed in order of EPA's preferred waste management hierarchy – are all important tools to safely manage hazardous waste.

The following suggestions can help reduce hazardous wastes in your home:

• Before you buy a product, read the label and make sure that it will do what you want. Once you buy something you are also responsible for disposing of it properly.
• Do not buy more than what you need. That way, you will not need to dispose of the surplus.
• Read and follow directions on how to use a product and dispose of the container.