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To assist residents with proper disposal of waste, the Frederick County Division of Solid Waste and Recycling hosts two free drop-off events each year for household hazardous material disposal (not for commercial waste).
Get automatic notifications and reminders for these events! To get reminders for special events, visit Recycling Information, and then:
1. Enter your address in the “Recycling Schedule” box
2. Click the button to “Set Reminder”
3. Select “Single Collection or Event”
4. Choose which events and how you would like to be reminded.
These events are also advertised in local newspapers several weeks in advance, as well as posted to our Facebook page.
Items Accepted at Haz Waste Drop-Off Events: | Items NOT Accepted at Haz Waste Events: | |
---|---|---|
Antifreeze: Accepted year round at the 9031 Reichs Ford Road recycling drop-off center for no charge. | ||
Aerosol spray paints | Alkaline batteries: May be disposed of with regular household trash, or, visit www.Call2Recycle.org to find drop-off locations for battery recycling. | |
Brake fluid | Ammunition: Contact the County Sheriff’s Department at 301-600-1046 or the Office of the State Fire Marshall Bomb Squad by calling 410-859-7152. | |
Flares | Biohazard waste: Clym Environmental Services is one local vendor who may be able to assist with this waste; for more information contact them at 301-694-6000. | |
Fluorescent bulbs (CFL/compact and tube types) and ballasts | Explosives: Contact the Office of the State Fire Marshall Bomb Squad by calling 410-859-7152 | |
Fuels (gasoline/lighter fluid, oil/gas mixed) | Firearms: Contact the County Sheriff’s Department at 301-600-1046. | |
Household & automotive cleaners | Fire extinguishers Empty, depressurized canisters may be disposed in regular trash. (Check the haz waste flyer linked above, or, call our office if you would like instructions: 301-600-2960.) | |
Mercury thermometers & thermostats | Fireworks: Contact the Frederick County Fire Marshall at 301-600-1479. | |
Mothballs, rodent poisons | Freon and pressurized fuel tanks/cylinders: Most vendors that sell them accept barbeque grill-sized propane tanks for return. Look under “Gas Companies” in the yellow pages; some vendors may also accept freon, oxygen, and fuel tanks other than propane. | |
Nickel-cadmium, NIMH and lithium ion batteries (all types of rechargeable batteries accepted) | Helium tanks: Do not place in a recycle bin. First, open the valve to release any remaining helium. Using a hammer and screwdriver, knock out the round disk on the back of the tank. (Online tutorial here: www.balloontime.com/how-to/recycle) Empty tank may be placed in the scrap metal bin at the 9031 Reichs Ford Road recycling drop-off center. | |
Pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides | Kerosene, diesel fuel, hydraulic fluid: Accepted year round at the Reichs Ford Road Recycling Drop Off Center for no charge. | |
Photographic chemicals | Liquid paint: The best practice is to use up paint. Paint can be stored in usable condition for many years. For disposal, paint must be dried out, then may be placed in your regular household trash. Commercial drying add-ins are available at paint and home improvement stores and can dry latex paint within a few minutes. You may also simply add mulch, shredded newspaper or kitty litter to any paint and leave the lid off until dried, or spread paint across sheets of cardboard or newspaper to dry. Once it is dry, paint can be thrown in the regular trash or brought to the landfill for disposal. | |
Pool chemicals | LED and halogen light bulbs can be disposed as regular household waste. | |
Smoke, radon, and carbon monoxide detectors | Lithium ion batteries should never be disposed as regular trash or recycling: They are accepted at haz waste events, but may also be taken to year round recycling sites: Best Buy, Lowes, Home Depot and the County's 9031 Reichs Ford Road facility. | |
Stains and sealants | Medicines: See info on year round drop-off locations below. | |
Thinners and solvents | Motor oil & filters: Accepted year round at the Reichs Ford Road Recycling Drop Off Center for no charge. | |
UV light bulbs | Radioactive materials | |
General household materials labeled as "hazardous" or "toxic" on the packaging | Regular trash: Accepted year round via the Reichs Ford Road Landfill Main Entrance. | |
Recyclable materials: Accepted year round at the Reichs Ford Road Recycling Drop Off Center for no charge. | ||
Small cylinders, such as for camping fuel. | ||
Tires: Accepted for recycling, year round via the Reichs Ford Road Landfill Main Entrance. | ||
Vehicle batteries: Accepted year round at the Reichs Ford Road Recycling Drop Off Center for no charge. | ||
Vegetable oils Accepted year round at the Reichs Ford Road Recycling Drop Off Center for no charge. | ||
For more information on other drug take back programs, please visit the following website:
According to the U.S. government Energy Star program, a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) uses 75% less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb! Part of what makes these bulbs work so efficiently is the small amounts of mercury they contain. This also means that they need to be handled carefully, and like any other potentially hazardous substance in your home, they need to be disposed of outside the regular waste system.
Note: Please don't toss CFL bulbs in your regular household trash!
More detailed information on compact fluorescent light bulbs, including disposal options and what to do if a bulb breaks in your home, can be found at the EPA website.