HCW
(Household Chemical Waste)
See Also HCW Collection Events Page
What is Household Chemical Waste (HCW)?
Household Chemical Waste (HCW) and household hazardous waste are terms used to describe the fairly common chemical products accumulated in a household from a variety of cleaning, painting, pest control and yard work activities. These types of products are a small but potentially problematic portion of the municipal solid waste stream. National studies estimate that HCW comprises less than 1% of the municipal solid waste stream. In Lake County, this equates to an estimated 2,500 tons disposed of in our landfills annually.
To help you determine if something is a household chemical waste, look for the words "danger," "toxic," "flammable," "corrosive," and/or "reactive" somewhere on the product's packaging. These are the four major classifications of hazardous materials.
Corrosive materials can dissolve or wear away materials and most can harm the skin and eyes. Flammable materials pose a serious threat of fire if stored improperly. Many of these items indicate, “Do not store near heat” or “Keep in cool, dry place.”
Explosive or reactive materials can explode when combined with other substances. They may also react violently in other ways, such as producing toxic gases. For example, when bleach and many dish detergents that contain chlorine bleach mix with ammonia, lye, or acids, the combination can produce toxic gases.
SWALCO provides one-day collection events where residents can drop off their HCW in different locations. The schedule and list of accepted wastes for HCW collections can be found in the "Events" section of this website.
Tires and lead acid batteries (auto and boat batteries) can be recycled at any retail outlet that sells them.
Latex Paint Disposal
Latex paint simply needs to be solidfied by the owner, using kitty litter, sand or a commercial hardner and disposed of in the regular garbage. Take the lid of the paint can, stir in the hardening/absorbing material, stir until liquid paint is absorbed and then leaving the lids OFF, place the entire can in the regular waste container (not recycling container). Latex paint is water soluable and not hazardous, but liquid paint placed in the waste hauling truck will go all over the roads. For other disposal alternatives visit the latex paint page in this Disposal Guide.
Other Disposal Options for Residential and Commercial
There is a Permanent Drop-off Facility in Naperville
Lake County residents can drop off household chemicals in Naperville (half mile south of the intersection of Hwy 59 and I-88, behind the fire station at 1971 Brookdale) on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. No Latex paint is accepted. Please call 630.420.6700 (code # 7559) for more information.
Other products, such as paints, automotive fluids, batteries and tires, have alternative disposal methods. Please check the list of other disposal options for further information about specific products, or call the SWALCO office at 847.336.9340 if you have questions.
Residents may drop off old MOTOR OIL at Lake Zurich's Public Works facility, located at 505 Telser Road (847.540.1696). It's open to Lake County residents ONLY, 24 hours a day, seven days a week (no business waste, and no household chemical waste). Residents place their contain of motor oil in the yellow shed. Lake Zurich staff then take the container around back and empty the contents into storage tanks awaiting removal via an oil reclamation company.
Further information about state Household Chemical Waste collections can be found at the IEPA website.
Businesses that needs to dispose of chemical wastes should contact one of the following companies:
R3 Environmental
(847)488-1492
Veolia Environmental Services
(219.392.6700)
SET Environmental
(847.537.9221)
Store hazardous materials, including purses that contain medicines or cosmetics, out of the reach of children. Do not store hazardous materials near food or medicines. Keep hazardous materials stored in the house or the garage in a locked cabinet.
Keep a bag of cat litter, sand, or sawdust near the storage area to soak up any spilled chemical from a broken or leaking container. Keep a separate broom and dustpan handy for chemical cleanup, and do not use them for any other purpose.
Because of flammability, store liquid pesticides containing a petroleum-based carrier or solvent in a garage in a locked cabinet. However, be aware that temperatures below freezing can cause the pesticide to become ineffective. This underscores the importance of buying only the amount of chemical that you need for a job. Other flammable products, such as gasoline, kerosene, propane gas, and paint thinner should also be stored in approved containers in the garage—never inside the house.
These tips and more specific information can be found at the University of Illinois Extension's "57 Ways to Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)" website.