How Do I Dispose of…
Hazardous Household Waste
Many of the products we use everyday and that are found in homes and garages can be hazardous to public health and the environment. If disposed of improperly, items like oil-based paint or automotive fluids can be harmful to us through direct contact and can also contaminate drinking water. First and foremost, try to reduce the amount of unused, unwanted, or leftover HHW generated. Ask yourself if it is really necessary to buy the large bottle of cleaner, or if there is a less toxic or non-polluting alternative. See our all-natural cleaning recipes for suggestions!
Everyone can help to reduce the impact HHW has on us and the environment by:
1. Buying only what you need
2. Buying and using less or non-toxic alternatives whenever possible
3. Using up all of what you purchase, if you can’t use it all up, give it to someone who can.
Certain HHW can be recycled locally. Visit Management Options for Common Household Hazardous Wastes 
for alternative disposal options. For those leftovers that cannot be reduced, reused, or recycled, please don’t throw down the drain or into the trash. Safely store the leftovers until the new Permanent HHW Collection program opens in 2012.
NOTE: If it is not feasible for you to hold on to your HHW until the first site opens, though not environmentally preferred, HHW is exempt from regulation and it is legal for a household to dispose of those materials in the trash.
Medications And Sharps
Medications
Frequently drug take back programs are offered. Please visit the sites below to determine if there will be an event near you.
If a take-back program is not available, the FDA has the following recommendations for disposal in your household trash:
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Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers.
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Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.
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Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag.
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Conceal or remove any personal information, including Rx number, on the empty medications containers by covering it with black permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it off.
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Place the sealed container with the mixture in the trash. Empty drug containers are recyclable in your single-stream curbside recycling program.
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Sharps
According to the Saint Louis County Waste Code Section 607.897, residents can dispose of sharps in their regular trash. To protect sanitation workers, they must be packaged in rigid, leak-proof and puncture resistant containers (detergent bottle, for example), which are sealed prior to disposal.
Bulky Wastes and Appliances
Bulky Items
Bulky items are large items like couches, chairs, household items, fixtures, wood etc. that will not fit in a residential waste container.
The Waste Code requires a Minimum Level of Service (MLS) to include a minimum of two bulky item pickups per year. Haulers may limit bulky waste collections to five (5) items per pick-up with a weight limit of sixty (60) pounds per item. Please contact your trash service provider for size and weight restrictions, or to schedule a bulky item pick-up.
Acceptable forms of bulky waste include: furniture (sofas, chairs, etc.), large root balls/stumps, miscellaneous (toys, garden equipment, bikes, etc.).
Unacceptable forms of bulky waste include: yard waste (leaves, grass, etc.), white goods (appliances such as stoves, ovens, washers, dryers, etc.), tires, automobile parts, and construction & demolition material.
Appliances
Since 1991, Missouri law has banned from landfill disposal major appliances (refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, trash compactors, hot water heaters and other white goods) and as such they are not included in the bulky waste collection required by Saint Louis County’s Minimum Level of Service requirements for residential trash haulers serving one- and two- family households.
However, you do have several options:
- Your hauler may be able to collect appliances for you, but it may require special arrangements and additional fees. Please contact your service provider for more information.
- If the appliance is in working condition you may try posting on a material exchange site such as freecycle.org or gigoit.org.
- Visit earth911.com to find charities or businesses near you that will accept your appliance for reuse or recycling.
- Lastly, please be aware that if you are having a new appliance delivered, many electronics retailers will remove the old appliance free of cost. Please inquire at time of purchase.
Yard Waste
DUMPING YARD WASTE IS ILLEGAL!
Many people think because yard waste is biodegradable, it is “natural” to dump these materials over a fence or on common ground. Such dumping is not only unsightly and frequently creates nuisance conditions, it is illegal. The fine for dumping leaves, grass clippings, brush or trash and debris is $500 (Saint Louis County Solid Waste Management Code 607.310).
Missouri Law prohibits the disposal of yard waste in landfills, because it can be easily composted into a natural material the benefits Missouri soils. The disposal of grass clippings, brush, and tree limbs measuring six (6) inches or less in diameter with your regular waste is prohibited. Please follow the following guidelines for the proper storage and disposal of yard waste.
Storage:
Yard waste must be stored in a neat, clean, odor-free and sanitary manner. Containers for curbside collection of yard waste must conform to the requirements of your waste service provider. Please note: plastic bags are not allowed.
Disposal:
To properly dispose of yard wastes, a homeowner has the following options:
- Subscribe for yard waste collection service with your regular waste hauler. Call your hauler for details.
- Compost your own yard waste on your property.
- Saint Louis County Solid Waste Management Code 607.1005 prohibits fatty meats, bones, and pet feces in backyard composting. Municipalities may have additional code restrictions.
- Please visit our backyard composting page for more information
- Haul your own yard waste directly to a licensed yard waste compost facility for disposal. Please see the Licensed Facilities List to determine the location nearest you.
Electronics
Household Electronics
Many electronics contain toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. When these substances find their way into the waste stream, they may threaten the environment and human health. If possible, we should try to keep them out of landfills.
So what can you do with an old computer, television set, cell phone or other electronic item? Local charities or schools may accept some reusable consumer electronics, especially newer computer models (not technologically obsolete). Always call first to make sure they can use your equipment. Other electronics can be given to a family member, friend or neighbor.
Some dealers, retailers or manufacturers will take back old equipment when new equipment is purchased. Ask your dealer or manufacturer about programs to accept old equipment for resale or recycling.
Also, consumers can bring items to local drop-off locations where the equipment is either refurbished or recycled. Fees may apply for certain items (computer monitors, televisions, office copiers, etc.) to offset the labor and disposal costs for properly managing end-of-life electronics.
Saint Louis County is a partner of e-cycle St. Louis... This regional partnership registered numerous facilities in the area as official collection sites for e-cycle St. Louis where the equipment is either refurbished or recycled. Fees may apply for certain items (computer monitors, televisions, office copiers, etc.) to offset the labor and disposal costs for properly managing end-of-life electronics. Click here to find a location near you.
Please know that while it is undesirable, electronic waste generated at a residence is exempt from hazardous waste regulation, and can be discarded in your bulky waste pick-up.
Special Note for Businesses, Non-Profits, Schools
Did you know that all businesses, non-profits, schools, and public agencies in Missouri are required by law to properly manage certain end-of-life electronics that may be classified as hazardous waste under Missouri law? Computer monitors, televisions, circuit boards, and other electronics contain excess heavy metals so they cannot be disposed of in the trash. In addition to e-cycle St. Louis collection sites , there are several options available in the Saint Louis region, including reuse and recycling. Contact a local recycler or click here for more proper waste management options and regulatory requirements.
Household Cleanout
After donating reusable items and recycling where possible, a homeowner may still have a large quantity of “junk” that needs disposal. A resident has the option to haul these wastes themselves and pay the tipping fees. Visit the Licensed Facilities List to determine the closest landfill, transfer station or waste processing facility nearest you. Always call the facility to determine hours of operations and fees.
If hauling yourself is not an option, you may rent a roll-off container. Make sure to ask for the company’s County Health License number to ensure the hauler is licensed to operate in St. Louis County and check with local public works for any placement restrictions. Beware of “fly by night” haulers or those who offer unrealistically low pricing to haul your junk away. Frequently these characters illegally dump and pocket the cash!
Check out the Types of Waste and Management Requirements page for proper storage of household discards.
Please Note: Except for bulky waste and construction & demolition waste, any collected municipal solid waste must be removed within one week (Waste Management Code 607.145). However, any waste container which is full must be removed regardless how long it has been stored.