Wastes Accepted
Our facility is able to take most, but not all, common household products.
Household Hazardous Wastes Accepted for Disposal
- Antifreeze
- Auto body filler
- Batteries (auto and motorcycle)
- Brake fluid
- Car cleaners
- Car waxes and chrome polish
- Carburetor cleaner
- Diesel fuel
- Engine degreaser
- Gasoline
- Oil – used or unused
- Oil filters
- Power steering fluid
- Radiator flushes
- Transmission fluid
We accept all alkaline, rechargeable and button cell batteries for recycling or disposal, including:
- lead acid batteries (including auto batteries)
- lithium ion (Li-Ion)
- lithium primary
- lithium polymer (Li-Po)
- nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd)
- nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH)
The terminals on lithium batteries and batteries that are 9 volts or higher MUST be taped with clear tape so that we can clearly read the labels and and to reduce the risk of sparking a fire.
Review the Boulder County Battery Taping Guide for more information: Battery Guide & Disposal
- Abrasive cleaners
- Ammonia-based cleaners
- Bleach cleaners
- Drain cleaners
- Floor cleaners & wax
- Oven cleaners
- Rug & upholstery cleaners
- Silver cleaners
- Toilet & drain cleaner
- Batteries
- E-liquid or juice (these may contain nicotine, vegetable glycerin, and propylene glycol and should be treated as hazardous waste)
- Tanks, cartridges, and pods
Note: Empty bottles are not accepted and should be placed in your trash.
Accepted in containers. If you would like to have your container returned to you, ask staff to label your container with your name and phone number. The container will be poured off and the container will be ready for pick up in 1-2 business days. Containers larger than 5 gallons are not accepted.
- Caulks, glues and cements
- Chemistry sets
- Helium tanks
- Mineral spirits
- Paint remover & stripper
- Paint thinners & turpentine
- Photographic chemicals & solutions
- One-pound propane canisters (typically used for camping)
- Resins, fiberglass and epoxy
- Rubber cement thinner
- Rust proofing products
- Wood preservatives
- Aerosols
- Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
- Degreasers
- Deodorizers
- Disinfectants
- Fluorescent lamp ballasts – any type
- Fluorescent tubes
- Furniture polishers
- Kerosene, lamp oil
- Laundry products
- Moth balls
- Mercury switches
- Mercury thermometers
- Pool chemicals
- Rust & spot removers
- Thermostats – complete with housing
- Fertilizers
- Fungicides
- Herbicides
- Insecticides
- Pesticides
- Roach & ant killers
- Rodent poisons
- Soil fumigants
- Weed killers
Learn how to reduce pesticide use: P3 Pest. Plants. People.
- Compact Fluorescent lights (CFLs)
- Fluorescent tubes
- Fluorescent lamp ballasts – any type
Note: incandescent and LED bulbs are not accepted and should be placed in the trash.
- Oil, paint, all other accepted liquids – if bringing liquid waste in a 5-gallon bucket, please leave 1 inch of space between the liquid and the brim of the bucket. Containers larger than 5 gallons are not accepted.
- Lacquers & stains
- Latex (water-based) paint Note: Alternatively, latex paint can be dried out and disposed of with regular trash.
- Model airplane paints
- Oil-based (alkyd) paints
- Paint remover & stripper
- Paint thinners & turpentine
- Varnishes
- Flea powder & collars
- Flea sprays & shampoo
- Sharps placed in an industry-standard sharps container or a #2 plastic container with a screw-on lid. No milk containers (jugs).
- Write on the container: ““Sharps – Do Not Recycle”.
- Household Sharps Guidance
- Boulder County Public Health set up two biohazard medical waste bins for use by individuals enrolled in Boulder County’s Works Program. The Works Program is Boulder County’s legal syringe exchange program since 1989.
- Safe Disposal of Unwanted Medications & Syringes
Wastes Not Accepted
These products are not accepted at the Hazardous Materials Management Facility. Resources for disposing of each of these products properly is listed in each drop down below.
Please consult Eco-Cycle’s A-Z Recycling Guide for information about how to recycle white styrofoam.
Never attempt to remove products you suspect contain asbestos (floor tiles, linoleum, insulation materials). Asbestos fibers are dangerous if inhaled. Call Boulder County Public Health for information at 303-441-1100, or consult with a certified asbestos removal contractor.
Please consult Eco-Cycle’s A-Z Recycling Guide for information about how to recycle appliances.
- Please consult the Options for Electronics Recycling list for disposal options.
Please consult Eco-Cycle’s A-Z Recycling Guide for information about how to recycle cooking oil/grease.
- Dispose of in trash
Dispose of with regular trash, or if metal, recycle with scrap metal.
Note: Empty containers with dried-out latex paint MUST be disposed with regular trash, not at the Hazardous Materials Management Facility.
Contact your local sheriff’s office before moving explosive or shock-sensitive materials. They will accept dangerous materials for safe disposal. This includes unwanted ammunition, road flares, and fireworks.
Please consult Eco-Cycle’s A-Z Recycling Guide for information on fire extinguishers.
303-444-6634
6400 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, CO 80301
- Dispose of in trash
Dispose of with regular trash:
- Dried-out latex paint
- Car parts
- Grout and cement
- Halogen, LED, and incandescent bulbs
Dispose of at the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM):
- Scrap metal
- Rigid #6 Styrofoam
- The Hazardous Materials Management Facility (HMMF) offers prepaid envelopes for all unused medication including legally held controlled drugs and narcotics.
- Safe Syringe Disposal Locations in Boulder County
- Find resources for disposal of expired and unwanted prescription drugs at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) or FDA’s website Using Medicine Safely.
- For information on proper disposal of controlled substances or other drop-off options, call the Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) Hotline at 303-786-7223.
Boulder County’s Hazardous Materials Management Facility does NOT accept propane cylinders larger than one pound (camping size). Contact local gas supply companies. Many accept these for free or a nominal fee.
Call the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, Radiation Control Division.
303-692-3300
- Households can dispose of smoke detectors with their regular trash.
- Businesses should use hazardous waste disposal contractors.
- Some manufacturers of these units also offer take-back programs, so contact them for more information.