Household hazardous materials

A household hazardous product is one whose use or disposal poses a threat to human health or the environment. It should never be put in the trash, down the drain, into storm drains or burned. However, household hazardous materials (HHMs) are accepted free from Linn County residents at our Pollution Prevention Center.  No appointment is necessary.

What is a household hazardous material?

How do you know if you have an HHM? Read the label. Look for the words "poison," "danger," "warning" or "caution." Any product which is reactive, corrosive, poisonous or flammable is categorized as an HHM. That would include products such as paints, cleaners, oils, insecticides and solvents. For a complete list, consult our Recycling Guide.

What happens to my cleaners and paints after I drop them off?

When you arrive, you'll be greeted by one of our trained environmental specialists who will assist you in the proper handling of your household hazardous materials. From there, your products are evaluated for either further disposal or placement in our Swap Shop.

We believe in resource recovery as much as we believe in diverting waste from the landfill. Our Swap Shop offers free reusable products such as cleaners and paints. So if you're bringing in an almost-empty bottle of glass cleaner, check and check to see if we have a replacement bottle. Learn more about our Swap Shop.

If you don't have enough leftover product for our Swap Shop, your waste material and/or containers are processed according to state and federal environmental regulations and sent to facilities permitted to handle hazardous material.