What to do with Household Hazardous Waste
Household Hazardous Waste, or HHW, are products labeled toxic, danger, poison, flammable, etc. These are potentially harmful to people, pets and the environment. They should never be poured down the drain. So what should you do?
If you are like many residents, you don't want to throw these materials away but aren't sure what to do with them. They usually sit stored in a garage or shed. The Tucson HHW Program is available to all residents. Fees are charged based on residency. Through the HHW Program, residents can drop off their materials and they will be safely recycled, reused, or disposed of properly.
Watch: Household Hazardous Waste Program
Watch: HHW Saturday Collection Event Info
What you need to know:
- List of HHW Materials
- Paint Sales & Drop and Swap Program
- Small Business Waste Assistance Program
- How to Dispose of Medications and Sharps
98% of materials collected through the HHW Program are recycled or reused
Drop-off Locations, Hours, and Fees
Program is free to residents of the City of Tucson. Residents from Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and unincorporated Pima County will be charged a $10 fee. To prove residency, you must show drivers license or curent utility bill.
Los Reales Landfill
5300 E. Los Reales Rd.
Tues & Thurs, 7 am - 4 pm
HHW Collection Events
EGSD hosts collection events the second Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon. They are in a different Ward each month. In addition to collecting HHW and E-waste (electronic waste), EGSD also provides document shredding at these events (limit 3 boxes per vehicle) and collects glass bottles and jars. See the 2021 schedule below.
View and print the 2021 schedule
Home Pick-up (this service is suspended due to COVID-19)
If you cannot drop materials off, you can request a home pick-up for a fee of $25, which will be added to your monthly bill. Call to make an appointment at 520-791-3171 or submit an on-line service request. This Home Pick-Up Service is only for residents within the City of Tucson Limits.
Sponsor an HHW Collection Event (this service is suspended due to COVID-19)
Businesses and community groups can sponsor an HHW collection event for their members and/or employees. Environmental and General Services (EGSD) will assist any entity requesting a collection event to properly collect and dispose of HHW from residential communities. Requests will be evaluated based on the requirements listed below.
- This service will only be provided within Pima County boundaries.
- An adequate event site must be provided. The site must be large enough to allow vehicles to safely enter and exit the collection site, accommodate a 20’x20’ canopy, and provide enough space for vehicles to line up while being serviced so as to not cause unsafe traffic conditions on public road ways. EGSD staff will approve all proposed collection sites.
- A letter of permission must be provided from the property owner, allowing the Tucson HHW Program, to hold an outreach collection on their property. The letter must specify the collection date and times (allowing extra time for set-up and break-down) and must be signed by the property owner. Upon request, the property owner will receive an insurance certificate (proof of insurance). If the property owner is the City of Tucson, a letter of permission is not required.
- Local area volunteers must be provided to assist during the outreach collection. The HHW Program will train new volunteers prior to working at an event.
Sponsors of collection events must also promote the event. Suggestions for promoting the collection event include the following:
- Prepare an announcement postcard for bulk mailing within the collection boundaries.
- Generate a news release for the media announcing the event.
- Generate an announcement for the local neighborhood association(s) newsletter.
- Generate an announcement for local retailers and/or major employers within the collection boundaries (if applicable).
- Generate posters or flyers to place in key public advertisement boards within the collection boundaries.
- Place electronic message board within the collection boundaries 1-week prior (optional).
- Place message banners within the collection boundaries 1-week prior (optional).
FEES:
Fees for non-standard HHW collection events have been established based on collection size by number of residential participants expected. The fee includes full cost recovery for expenses related to ES staff labor, trucks, canopy, operating and disposal supplies, disposal, and ES overhead costs. A service agreement will be prepared for each client.
