Household Hazardous Wastes

Drop-Off Events to Collect Residential Hazardous Wastes

 

To assist residents with proper disposal of hazardous wastes, the Frederick County Division of Solid Waste and Recycling hosts free drop-off events each year for household hazardous material disposal (not for commercial waste).
 

The date for the spring 2022 event has not yet been set by the hazardous materials contractor. 
Get automatic notifications and reminders for these events! Click the “Recycling Schedule” link on our home page to sign up for free email, phone, text, or mobile notifications of our events! These events are also advertised in the Frederick News Post several weeks in advance, as well as posted to our Facebook page.


See event flyer here for complete details on what is - and is not- accepted as household hazardous waste.

These events do not take place at the landfill. Recent events have occurred at NYMEO Field/Keys Baseball stadium parking lot, 21 Stadium Drive, Frederick 21703. (Enter from New Design Road, not by turning off of South Market Street.) Thank you!

PLEASE NOTE: Unidentifiable items will not be accepted at these events. 
 
Items Accepted at Drop-Off Event:   Items NOT Accepted at Hazardous 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 1 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 (Call Westminster Fire Extinguisher Service at 301-662-8516.)
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) Helium tanks (Empty tanks may be deposited for no charge in the scrap metal drop off bin at the DSWM Recycling Center located at 9031 Reichs Ford Road. Any residual helium left in the tank must first be released by opening the valve. After the tank has been depressurized in this way, unscrew the nozzle on the tank and remove it completely.)
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 (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.)
General household materials labeled as "hazardous" or "toxic" on the packaging
 Radioactive materials


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.)

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 (Mix with mulch, kitty litter, shredded paper or another drying agent and dispose as regular trash.)


    

Local Prescription Drug Take Back Programs

Note: The Division of Solid Waste and Recycling does NOT collect pharmaceuticals at our residential household hazardous waste events. There are convenient locations across Frederick County where residents may safely dispose of pharmaceuticals anytime throughout the year. Please note: most sites do not collect liquid materials. Where liquids are allowed, we have noted that information below.

Each site is individually operated and rules vary. Please follow the guidelines and accepted items list posted at each site:

  1. Brunswick Police Department- 20 E. A St., Brunswick (24 hours) 
  2. CVS Pharmacy- 402 South Jefferson St, Frederick (accepts pills, patches and liquids)
  3. CVS Pharmacy- 5414 Rotary Avenue, New Market (accepts pills, patches and liquids)
  4. CVS Pharmacy- 228 Church St., Thurmont (accepts pills, patches and liquids)
  5. Emmitsburg Community Center - 2nd Floor, 300 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg  (8am - 4:30pm)
  6. Frederick Police Department - 100 West Patrick Street, Frederick (24 hours) 
  7. Frederick County Law Enforcement Center- 110 Airport Drive E., Frederick  (24 hours) 
  8. Middletown Municipal Center - 31 W. Main St., Middletown  (8am - 4pm)
  9. Myersville Municipal Center – 301 Main Street, Myersville (9am - 4pm)
  10. Mount Airy Police Department - 205 Center St., Mt. Airy 
  11. Thurmont Police Department - 800 Main St., Thurmont  (8am - 4pm)
  12. Urbana Pharmacy - 3420 Worthington Blvd., Frederick 21704 (also has a syringe disposal box)
  13. WalMart - 7400 Guilford Drive, Frederick (accepts pills, patches and liquids)
  14. WalMart - 2421 Monocacy Blvd., Frederick (accepts pills, patches and liquids)

For more information on other drug take back programs, please visit the following website: 

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) 

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!


Proper Disposal

  • Any fluorescent bulbs may be brought to the County's Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off events.
  • Some businesses, including The Home Depot and Lowes, accept CFL bulbs for recycling year round (see their websites for more information).

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.