Household Hazardous Waste Disposal

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Household hazardous waste (HHW) should never be disposed of in the regular trash or poured down the drain. Household hazardous waste refers to used or leftover contents of consumer products that contain materials with one of the four characteristics of a hazardous waste: toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive.

HHW 3

Reason for Special Disposal

Improper disposal of even a small amount of HHW can have major adverse impacts on our air, water, and soil. Household hazardous waste is best managed when it is collected separately from regular municipal solid waste so that it can be handled properly and packaged to minimize exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and will also reduce the likelihood that these hazardous chemicals will enter the environment.

The safest way for residents to dispose of household hazardous wastes is to carefully pack them up and bring them to one of the Fairfax County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Sites at the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill. See detailed site information below.

Examples of Household Hazardous Waste

Lighters
Unbroken light bulbs (LEDs and fluorescent lamps)
e-Cigarettes
Mercury products (thermometers and thermostats)
Pesticides & Herbicides

Pool Chemicals
Automobile fluids (motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid)
Cooking oil
Inks & Dyes
Poisons

Batteries
Aerosol sprays (not empty)
Moth Balls
Nail polish, and polish remover
Stains & Varnishes
Bleach
Paint & Paint thinner

Download the Fairfax County Household Hazardous Waste Program Brochure for detailed instructions on how to dispose of hazardous waste.

Procedures for Packing & Transporting Household Hazardous Waste

For safe transportation of household hazardous materials to a designated drop off center, bring materials in their original container if possible, and make sure lids are tightly sealed. Label materials not in their original container. Place leaking or corroded containers in a large plastic container with a tight fitting lid.

Place all household hazardous products upright in cardboard box and secure in the back seat or passenger seat for transport. DO NOT place waste in back seat of cars with children or pets. DO NOT smoke while transporting hazardous materials. Keep flammables out of direct sunlight and away from sources of heat, spark, flame or ignition.

Drop off Centers

Fairfax City residents may use the Fairfax County Waste and Recycling Drop-Off Centers to dispose of refuse and recycling, household hazardous waste, electronics, glass, compost, and more. Proof of City of Fairfax residency may be required. Acceptable proof is a drivers license, state ID card, property tax bill or utility bill.

•I-66 Transfer Station

4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-631-1179, TTY: 711

• I-95 Landfill

9850 Furnace Road, Lorton, VA 22079
703-690-1703, TTY: 711

For additional information — including the status of services, facility maps, telephone numbers of interest, and more — please visit the Fairfax County Recycling and Trash Locations and Hours page.

Disposal of Challenging Household Items

Light Bulbs:

Light Bulbs, including incandescent, compact fluorescent, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), tube fluorescent, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and string lights all require different disposal techniques. Check with local retailers for recycling take-back programs or visit the Fairfax County Household Hazardous Waste website for proper disposal instructions.

HHw light bulbs

Reference the Safe Lightbulb Disposal flyer for more information.

Batteries:

Paint:

Latex

Donate any full or nearly full cans of paint by contracting local charities. Old or used latex paint should be air dried and placed in the regular trash. To speed up drying process, mix cat litter or shredded paper into the paint to absorb the liquid.

Check out this video on latex paint disposal for more information.

Oil or Lead-based Paint

Visit the Fairfax County Household Hazardous Waste website for proper disposal instructions for oil or lead-based paint.

Fire Extinguisher:

Fire extinguishers contain pressurized chemicals designed to put out fires, and whether full or fire extinguisher empty, need to be disposed of as household hazardous waste.

When do you need to dispose of your fire extinguisher?

Outer damage such as a broken handle, cracked nozzle, split hose, or a missing locking pin.

Missing inspection and maintenance sticker or tag.

The fire extinguisher is more than 12 years old.

The fire extinguisher has been used.

Medication and Pharmaceuticals:

Keeping unused, unwanted and expired medications in your home can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and misuse. Make sure to follow any and all instructions on the medicine packaging to ensure proper disposal.

Visit the Fairfax County’s How to Dispose of Your Unused or E xpired Medications website to take advantage of the many ways to dispose of unused or expired medications, including permanent dropboxes, drug takeback days, and at-home disposal instructions.

DO NOT flush medicines down the toilet. Medicines can end up in our rivers and streams and contaminate our waterways. Always make sure to dispose of medications properly to ensure the safety our environment and residents.

Fats, Oils, & Grease (FOG):

Visit the Fairfax County Household Hazardous Waste website for proper disposal instructions for cooking oil. Fats and grease should be poured into a can and left to harden into a solid form, and then disposed of in the trash.

When not disposed of properly, FOG can cause blockages in the sanitary sewer which can result in sewer backups inside a restaurant or spew wastewater from sewer manholes onto private property and the streets. Visit the Fairfax County webpage on Fats, Oils and Grease for more information on the harmful impacts of FOG, disposal information, and more.

Thanksgiving Holiday, Nov. 27-29

Closure, Service Information • Holiday Refuse Service Schedule

City of Fairfax, VA