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Household Hazardous Waste
Events
Grant County Solid Waste offers Household Hazardous Waste Collection events several times per year. These events are usually held on Fridays and Saturdays in the spring and fall and are for household generated waste only. Larger events are usually held in Moses Lake and Ephrata on Saturdays while a smaller event may be held the day before at another community. Because funding for these events is provided through a grant from the Department of Ecology and from Grant County Solid Waste tipping fees, there is no additional cost for residents to participate. Residents who bring items that are not accepted at an event will be assisted in finding other disposal options.
September Household Hazardous Waste Event Flyers:
Grand Coulee Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer (PDF
Ephrata Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer -English (PDF
Ephrata Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer - Spanish (PDF)
October Household Hazardous Waste Event Flyers:
Mattawa Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer-English (PDF)
Mattawa Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer-Spanish (PDF)
Moses Lake Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer - English (PDF)
Moses Lake Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Flyer - Spanish (PDF)
Precautions
For everyone’s safety, please:
- Don’t mix products
- Keep products in original containers. Containers will not be returned for everyone's safety.
- Label products not in original containers. Containers will not be returned for everyone's safety.
- Secure products so they won’t leak.
- Store products away from the passenger compartment of your vehicle and keep them separate from items you wish to retain.
- Stay in your vehicle during unloading.
Year-Round Disposal Options
To assist the public with finding year-round disposal options for some types of hazardous waste, please view Year-Round Disposal Options (PDF)
Antifreeze Collection
Four collection sites are available throughout Grant County to safely dispose of antifreeze. View our flyer about Antifreeze Collection (PDF).
Used Motor Oil
View our brochure about the Used Motor Oil Collection (PDF).
Lithium Batteries
View our Lithium Battery Danger Safety Sheet (PDF).
Latex Paint (Water-Based)
Household-size quantities of liquid, latex paint may be disposed of at the Ephrata Landfill; latex paint, once dried out and the lid removed, may be put in the garbage can. If you can wash the brushes out with soap and water, it’s latex paint. Latex paint may also be recycled through PaintCare. Visit Paintcare.org
Interior and Exterior Architectural Coatings
May be recycled through PaintCare. PaintCare (PDF) brochure
Safe Medication Return
In Washington, every day can be drug take-back day!
Safe Medication Return lets people appropriately dispose of unwanted household over the counter and prescription medications (including for pets). Secure storage and safe disposal of medication helps reduce overdoses, poisonings, and suicide attempts. Safely disposing of medication also keeps it out of our environment which helps protect our water and soil.
You can find the convenient drop-off locations (kiosks) and order free mail-back supplies at medtakebackwashington.org or by calling 844-482-5322 (844-4-TAKE-BACK).
ACCEPTED: unless identified as Not Accepted below, over the counter and prescription medications in any dosage or form (including medication for household pets). Medications can be in their original containers or mixed in a sealed bag. Medical devices and combination products that contain some drugs are accepted. If the medical device or combination product includes a needle, they cannot be disposed of at drop-off location kiosks. You can return them using free, prepaid, preaddressed mailers.
NOT ACCEPTED: Illegal drugs, herbal-based and homeopathic remedies vitamins, minerals, supplements, personal care products (like shampoo, cosmetics, and sunscreen), empty medical devices and combination products, thermometers, exposed needles or sharps, and pet pesticide products
Safe Medication Return is for household medication. You may not use it to dispose of business-generated pharmaceutical waste. If you are a business, please visit the Department of Ecology Pharmaceutical Waste website for more information.
What to Bring to the Collection Events
- Aerosols
- Automotive products (contaminated used motor oil*, gasoline, antifreeze, brake fluid)
- Fire extinguishers
- Glues and adhesives
- Herbicides
- Hobby chemicals
- Oil-Based Paint (label indicated flammable material and brushes are to be cleaned with thinner)
- Pesticides
- Products that contain mercury (thermostats, mercury thermometers)
- Rechargeable batteries
- Thinners and solvents
- Toxic cleaning products
- Used oil
- Mercury-containing lights (fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lights (CFL) bulbs, and high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs)
Do Not Bring to the Collection Events
- Any other household wastes (like tires, appliances, garbage, etc.)
- Automotive batteries (year-round collection sites available)
- Business, agency, or apartment maintenance waste (Call 509-754-6082 for disposal information)
- Electronic Wastes
- Empty containers of any type
- Explosives (bullets, fireworks)
- Medical wastes (prescription drugs-year-round sites are available)
- Propane tanks (year-round collection sites available)
- Radioactive materials like smoke detectors
- Sharps (Residents may dispose of sharps in a rigid, plastic container with a screw-on lid)
Business Generated Hazardous Waste Assistance
Grant County Solid Waste assists small quantity generators (SQG) in finding disposal options for dangerous waste. To learn more about SQGs, please visit the Department of Ecology.
An SQG may dispose of hazardous waste the day before a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event or hire a company to pick it up at the business location. Both options usually require a fee. For more information about disposal options, please contact the Solid Waste Programs Coordinator. Please allow a few weeks to get signed up for a collection event. An SQG may also use PaintCare to dispose of architectural paint.