What You Can’t Throw Away in a Dumpster Rental

Managing household waste properly can be quite the challenge. When throwing things out, or cleaning out spaces, or even undertaking remodels or rebuilds in your Richmond Hill home, the quantity of things that need to be discarded of multiplies and it can seem overwhelming trying to decide how to properly discard different materials. Here is a quick reference guide of some common items that you may find yourself needing to get rid of but that should not be thrown in the dumpster.

Dumpster Rental In Richmond Hill

1. Lightbulbs: LED and compact fluorescent lightbulbs have become increasingly popular, and are a great choice to conserve energy in your home. That being said, compact fluorescent lightbulbs contain trace amounts of mercury that is released when the filament burns out. This makes disposing of old light bulbs in the trash a danger and health hazard. They need to be discarded by a Household Hazardous Waste facility.

*While we are on the topic of mercury, if you have an old thermometer lying around that you are ready to get rid of, remember that mercury is very dangerous and should be exposed of properly. Again, be sure to take items like this to a Household Hazardous Waste facility to safely discard of it.

1. Batteries: When batteries are thrown in the garbage, they can result in seepage of toxic waste into ground water – posing a serious threat to not only humans, but also animals and the environment. Regardless of the battery type, from watch batteries to alkaline batteries, and even automotive batteries, they need to be disposed of safely and correctly. You can google locations of battery recycling centers near you so you know where to take old batteries to safely dispose of them.
2. Electronics: Like batteries, electronics are not biodegradable, so they should not be thrown away in the trash. With so many advancements in modern technology, we seem to go through electronics rather quickly – with outdated ones piling up in our homes. When you are ready to dispose of old or broken electronic devices, be sure to take them to a recycling center instead of throwing them away in the trash. 
3. Paint: Oil-based paints, strippers, stains, finishes, and varnishes all contain harmful chemicals that should not be thrown away in the trash where they can seep into the ground. If you still have cans of these products that are semi or partially full and you no longer want to store them, consider donating them to a local school or theater where they can be used. If not, be sure to contact your local recycling facility for instructions on how to safely discard of these products.

For more information on what you should or should not throw away in the trash, you can look up the website of your local waste facility. For large projects that will require the use of a dumpster, be sure to call Savannah Trash. We can also help answer any questions you might have on what can and cannot be thrown into dumpsters.