How can I tell if a product is hazardous?

Read the label!

Look for the words poison, danger, warning, or caution on the product label.

• Poison and danger indicate the highest hazard levels.
  • Poison means that a product is highly toxic and can cause injury or death if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
  • Danger means that a product is highly toxic, flammable, or corrosive. Look for the word “danger” on cleaners, polishes, paint strippers, and pesticides. These products could poison you, cause damage to your skin or eyes, or easily cause fire.
• Warning and caution both indicate that a product is toxic, corrosive, reactive, or flammable.
• Products that don’t have any of these words on the label are least hazardous.

A hazardous product has at least one of the following properties:

• Toxic
  • Poisonous or causes long-term illness
  • Includes pesticides, paint thinners, many automotive products, and some cleaners
  • Look for the phrases “Harmful or fatal if swallowed” and “Use only in a well-ventilated area”
• Flammable
  • Burns easily
  • Includes paint thinners, other solvents, and most automotive products
  • Look for phrases like “Do not use near heat or flame” and “Do not smoke while using this product”
• Corrosive
  • Eats through materials
  • Includes oven cleaners, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and automotive batteries
  • Look for phrases like “Causes severe burns on contact” and “Can burn eyes, skin, and throat”
• Reactive
  • Can spontaneously ignite or create poisonous vapors when mixed with other products or can explode when exposed to heat, air, or water.

Please use the following contacts to properly dispose of materials that are not accepted at the HHW facility.


Ammunition and Firearms:

Bedford Police Department at (812) 275-3311

Lawrence County Sheriff Department at (812) 275-3316

Mitchell Police Department at (812) 849-2151

Asbestos:

Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-CPSC

For “removal” guidance - Indiana Department of Environmental Management: Office of Air Quality at 1-888-574-8150

For “disposal” guidance - Indiana Department of Environmental management: Office of Land Quality at 1-800-451-6027

Rumpke Landfill at (812) 966-2017

Biological, Hospital, ad Infectious Wastes:

Your health care provider or pharmacy

Mercury Containing Devices:

Monroe County Solid Waste District at (812) 349-2848

Mullis Petroleum at (812) 275-5981

Onyx Environmental at 1-800-556-5267

Safety Kleen Corporation at 1-800-669-5242

Oil Products:

Mullis Petroleum at (812) 275-5981

Safety Kleen Corporation at (502) 368-0322

Trueblood Oil Recycling at 1-800-258-2823

Universal Oil at (812) 853-5279

Prescription Drugs:

See the Upcoming Events calendar for local prescription drug collection events

Monroe County Solid Waste District at (812) 349-2848

Yellow Pages under “Medical Waste Clean Up, Disposal & Removal”

Your health care provider or pharmacy

Propane Tanks/Compressed Gas Cylinders:

AmeriGas at (812) 336-3931

Blue Flame LP GAS at (812) 279-6641

Ferrellgas at (812) 275-3375

Local exchange programs (check with retail outlets)

Monroe County Solid Waste District at (812) 349-2848

Yellow Pages under “Gas Propane”

Sharps (includes needles, syringes, lancets, etc.):

Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal at 1-800-643-1643

Monroe County Solid Waste District at (812) 349-2848

Sharps Compliance at 1-800-772-5657

Statewide Medical Services at 1-800-382-1453

White River Lodge Nursing Home at (812) 275-7006 (small quantities only and PLEASE CALL AHEAD)

Your health care provider or pharmacy

Smoke Detectors:

Ionizing Smoke Detectors: Return to the manufacturer

Photoelectric Smoke Detectors: Dispose of in the garbage

Do you have leftover paint that you don't want?  Could someone else use it? Or maybe you need paint for a project of your own!  Try the Solid Waste District's Paint Exchange!

If latex or oil-based paint is in good condition, we will accept it and place it into our Paint Swap program. The Paint Swap Program provides residents with free paint that is in good condition. Simply ask the HHW Facility attendant if you can look at the paints that are available.

Paint Solutions at Home:

Water-based paints are paints that can be cleaned up with soap and water. These types of paint are considered a non-hazardous liquid that will solidify when the lids are removed and the paint is allowed to dry out. Once dry, the paint can be disposed of in the regular trash.

A quicker alternative for small quantities is to add kitty litter to the can and leave it open until completely dry. For larger quantities, use several sturdy plastic trash bags to line a box and alternate between paint layers and kitty litter layers. Then let it stand until it is dry.

The Lawrence County Solid Waste District encourages you to donate usable items to local charities. The following are local stores that accept donations:

Goodwill Industries
1221 James Avenue
Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 279-5379

Habitat ReStore
502 L Street (Behind Ace Pawn)
Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 675-0943

Salvation Army Thrift Store
1721 28th Street
Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 279-9825

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop
914 17th Street
Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 277-0051

If you are part of local organization that accepts donations and would like to be included on our site please send us a short message on our contact us page and we will gladly add your organization.