Items That you Cannot Throw in the Garbage

How many times do you find yourself going to the internet to look online to find out if certain items can be thrown out with your weekly trash pick up? There are many items that most municipalities will not take, so what do you do with them? In our experience, most people leave them in their garage or basement until they are forced to deal with them, such as in an instance of a move or perhaps making room for something else.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans create 250 million tons of trash each year. From food waste, cosmetics prescriptions to plastic, paper, or just about anything and everything. There are some items that are a little bit trickier to dispose of.

There are certain items that can cause harm if not disposed of correctly or are too onerous for the individual to dispose of. We have created a list of the most common items that you cannot throw out in your weekly garbage in most municipal jurisdictions.

Paint

At one time paint was full of lead, a toxic poison that can bring a wide range of health issues. Today’s paints are mainly poisonous and flammable. By law, they must be disposed of accordingly. Interestingly, in recent years, many companies have started recycling paints, creating thick, luxurious colors and tones.

Mercury Thermometers

Once called quicksilver for its shiny metal look, this liquid metal is highly toxic, even in small amounts. It can cause serious health problems and can be passed on even in utero. This toxicity can affect the digestive and immune systems, nervous and digestive systems, lungs, eyes, and more.

Motor Oil

Americans love working on their cars almost as much as they love the cars themselves, resulting in a lot of petroleum-based oils being stored. They are poisonous, highly flammable, and can seriously contaminate the soil.

Laptops, Phones, and Electronics

By now most people have at least one laptop or old desktop computer lying around, and likely multiple cell phones from years gone by. We have known for years that electronics manufacturing uses a host of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead. The government knows how important it is to keep these out of the waste stream.

Prescriptions and Medications

According to the CDC, 48.5% of all Americans take some form of prescription, and this increases year-over-year. You cannot flush them down the toilet as it would disrupt the water supply. Much like many items on the list, we find that they end up being accumulated until forced to get rid of them.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

CFL’s cannot be disposed of in a regular manner, as they contain mercury, a hazardous element that can cause serious health problems. Prior to the price of LEDs coming down, these lights proliferated in American homes in an effort to reduce energy bills.

Knives

Some municipalities do allow for the disposal of knives, but most do not. It would seem like a good idea to dispose of a knife in a safe manner and that is why it is on the list of many jurisdictions.

Some of the more common items that cannot be included in your weekly garbage pick up include lawn chemicals, smoke detectors, fireworks, tires, mothballs, asbestos, gasoline, batteries, needles, laundry detergent, matches, spaces heater, and the American flag.

If you have let items accumulate and need them hauled away and disposed of properly, just contact JunkCo LLC or call (505) 830-4200.