Learn how to properly dispose of household hazardous waste such as batteries, chemicals and cleaners.
Household hazardous waste (HHW) is the unwanted poisonous, flammable, corrosive or reactive substances from our homes. These items can poison the environment if buried in a landfill.
Bringing HHW, batteries and e-waste to an Eco Station protects people and our environment. Drop-off is always free for residents.
Note: Eco Stations are only for the disposal and recycling of residential waste. Commercial clients with hazardous waste, batteries and e-waste must find alternate disposal and recycling options, such as Call 2 Recycle.
Battery Disposal
Take charge of proper battery disposal. Drop off batteries and electronics at an Eco Station for free, safe disposal.
With the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility, the Hazardous and Special Product (HSP) stream was created to include some items that used to fall under the household hazardous waste program.
The disposal of items reclassified as HSPs is no longer funded through the utility rate, meaning commercial customers are now able to drop off items that fall under this new classification in limited amounts.
Hazardous and special products that commercial customers can now drop off include:
- Consumer-sized solid, liquid and gaseous products with an octagonal or inverted triangle Consumer Chemical and Containers Regulations (CCCR) symbol
- Batteries (5kg or less)
- Pesticides labeled as domestic, with an octagonal or inverted triangle symbol
Household hazardous waste that does not fall under this classification is still only available for drop off by residents. Some examples of this include:
- Any container larger than 10 litres for liquid, 10 kilograms for solids or 680 grams for pressurized gas
- Gasoline containers greater than 25 litres
- Solvents, thinners, mineral spirits and paint strippers
- Unlabeled containers except for gasoline containers
Why can’t commercial customers only drop off hazardous and special products and not all household hazardous waste?
Prior to the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility, disposal of household hazardous waste was funded entirely through the utility rate paid by residents. As a result, drop-off of HHW was not available for commercial customers.
With the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility, the hazardous and special product stream was created to include some items that used to fall under the HHW program. Producers are now responsible for the cost of recycling these items, not residents, so limited amounts of this commercial waste are now accepted.
Some items were not reclassified, meaning that drop-off is still paid for through the utility rate and only available for residents.
Accepted items
The following household hazardous waste items can be dropped off at an Eco Station for proper disposal.
Automotive fluids include:
- Motor oil
- Oil filters
- Antifreeze
- Brake and transmission fluid
- Gasoline
- Diesel
- Rust remover
Maximum container size: 20L
Batteries and E-waste include:
- All batteries big and small, including computer, car and household batteries
- Vape pens
- Headphones or earbuds
- Tablets, smartphones, computers and their chargers
- Electronic greeting cards
- Anything electronic with a battery (if it makes noise, lights up or charges, it will have a battery)
Learn more about battery disposal or E-waste.
Chemicals and Cleaners include:
- Bleach
- Drain and toilet cleaners
- Hot tub and swimming pool chemicals
- Oven cleaners
- Spot removers and carpet cleaners
- Photo chemicals
- Glues and adhesives
- Other similar substances
Paints and Stains include all:
- Household paint
- Wood stains
- Varnish
- Paint thinner
- Spray paint
Maximum container size: 20L
Pressurized Containers include:
- Propane bottles and tanks (maximum: 20 lbs)
- Fire extinguishers and aerosol cans (full, partly full or that once held a hazardous substance)
Welding tanks and oxygen tanks are not accepted. Dispose of these at point of purchase or through a commercial hazardous waste disposal vendor.
Yard and Garden Chemicals include all:
- Fertilizers
- Herbicides
- Pesticides
Batteries, no matter how big or small, should never go in the garbage. When incorrectly thrown away, they can - and do - cause fires at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.
Batteries in your garbage can also ignite or explode, putting collectors and those who work at processing facilities at risk.
- Collect your used batteries and drop them off at an Eco Station or participating retailer for safe, easy recycling at no cost.
- If you’re unable to properly dispose of your used batteries right away, place tape over both ends while you store them. The tape prevents the battery from connecting and reacting with other batteries while you collect them for proper disposal.
E-waste/Rechargeable Devices
E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to unwanted electronic products like old computers, cell phones and home appliances.
E-waste contains metals like lead, mercury and cadmium that are harmful to the environment if buried in a landfill.
Batteries left in an electronic device can expand and explode during waste processing. Rechargeable devices, like e-readers, vape pens or anything you can recharge, have internal batteries that cannot be removed, but carry similar fire risk if not disposed of properly.
Bring anything with a battery or cord to an Eco Station. Except for items containing refrigerants, drop-off is always free.
Accepted Items
| Item | Examples |
|---|---|
| Small appliances | Fans, rice cookers, coffee makers, toasters, hair dryers and similar items |
| Large appliances | Stoves, dishwashers, washing machines and similar items Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and water coolers - $21 per item for refrigerant (CFC) removal |
| Electronics | Computers and computer components, televisions, cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, electronic toys, rechargeable and disposable vape devices and similar items |
Safety Tips
- Keep materials in their original containers.
- Never mix hazardous materials together. This can cause dangerous reactions.
- Keep oil and chemicals away from drains and storm sewers, which lead directly to our river.
- Check that your containers are secure and leak-free before transporting them.
- Share any special handling information with Eco Station staff.
