Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Programs

Brendar Environmental specializes in the development, operation, and servicing of Household Hazardous Waste Programs. We can assist your municipality with the set-up, licensing and operation of a municipal hazardous waste program. We can even arrange for a single-day collection event to be set-up at your site that we operate on your behalf.

Brendar Environmental has experience operating a wide assortment of HHW programs from across Ontario. Let us help you develop a public/private sector venture to service this very important diversion option for household chemicals.

These types of events typically occur once or twice a year and are designed to collect household chemicals from the residents of your municipality. The set up begins the day before and the clean up and departure happens after the collection day is done. Single day events best address the needs of smaller communities that that do not have year-round demand or communities that are generally new to the concept of the HHW program and would like to try it out for the first time.

If a permanent HHW collection facility does not exist in your community, Brendar Environmental is licensed to operate its Mobile HHW Collection Operation. Essentially, we bring the collection facility to you! This convenient and “self-contained” operation is perfect for smaller or remote communities that cannot support a permanent HHW depot or wish to “test the waters” before deciding whether they need one.

This program format is typical for medium to large municipalities. Permanent depots are economical and provide an ease of operation that is well suited to programs with higher demand that are on-going year after year. For communities wishing to initiate a new permanent HHW facility or expand existing HHW facilities, we can assist by preparing the necessary applications and aiding in the various design and operational elements.

Outlined below are common examples of household waste chemicals that are handled at most HHW collection events. However, each Depot may collect different types of materials and it is recommended that residents confirm what materials are accepted at their local depot prior to arriving at the site.

Household chemicals can react and pose health & safety concerns. Therefore, to minimize risk to you, your family and vehicle, please ensure that the materials are stored in sealed containers, segregated into compatible groups, and maintained in an upright position while transporting. Please do not put all your household chemicals into a garbage bag – they are not all the same and this can be an accident waiting to happen.

Automotive Related: motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, brake fluid, fuel, lead acid batteries, polishers, cleaners, waxes, aerosols, paints solvents, and body filler.

Household Related: medicines, pharmaceuticals, drugs, all cleaners, waxes, furniture polishes, bleach, soaps, pesticides, disinfectants, household batteries, hobby paints, stain removers, needles (see below)

Yard and Garden: pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, fertilizers, fertilizers with pesticides, oil and fuel from yard equipment.

Maintenance Related: paints, stains, solvents, adhesives, glues, flux/solder, light ballasts (see below), deck cleaner, wood preservatives, and caulking

Pool/ Hot Tub: pool chemicals (pH up, pH down, stabilizer, chlorination, brominator, cleaners.

Hobby: gold electroplating solutions; artist paints – heavy metal paints/pigments; pottery – heavy metal glazes.

Light Ballasts: These materials are not received at all HHW facilities. Ballasts made in 1979 or earlier may contain traces of PCB’s and should be considered hazardous due to this concern. Newer ballasts are often marked “non-PCB’s” shown in small print on the label and as such are not hazardous.

Needles/Sharps: These are needles used by diabetics for example. In the waste industry they are referred to as a biohazardous waste material. They can be received at some sites however they should be securely packaged in a hard plastic sealed container. Loose needles will not typically be received. Call to be sure your HHW centre can receive these items.

Materials NOT typically accepted at HHW Depots

Explosives, Flares, Ammunitions, Fireworks: These are materials that CAN NOT be received at most HHW events. For proper disposal contact your local police or Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Explosives should not be transported without first contacting the OPP Special Tactics Unit found in the Blue Pages of your phone book.

Smoke Detectors: Some smoke detectors contain a minute amount of radio-active material. Contact your local Ministry of the Environment (MOE) office for details on disposal options.