Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste Properly
Unwanted household chemicals, automotive fluids and various hazardous chemicals, materials, substances, or products that are generated or discarded by households can be toxic to the public and pose a threat to the environment if improperly discarded. These materials can be dangerous and should be properly managed and stored.
The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department provides a County-wide service for proper management of hazardous and toxic materials and waste from County residents and qualified small businesses at the Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center (HWCC) and at five Rural Collection Centers. Additionally, selected items such as Used Oil can be disposed at several local businesses. Various chemicals, automotive fluids, pesticides, latex and oil based paint, fluorescent lamps, batteries, propane tanks, aerosol cans, waste vegetable oil, electronic waste and pharmaceutical waste from households can be dropped off at the HWCC. Alachua County processes over 1.5 Million pounds of hazardous materials annually.
The Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center is open year-round to the public. Call 352-334-0440 for more information. Instead of storing hazardous waste in your home you may bring it to the HWCC six days a week, FREE of charge to households located within Alachua County.
Pharmaceutical Waste Collection
The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Hazardous Waste Collection program offers many locations in the County where residents can properly and safely dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals or over-the-counter medications at no charge. Click on the link below to find out more about our unwanted pharmaceutical collection and disposal service or contact the Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center for more information at 352-334-0440.
Pharmaceutical Collection Information
Please see our brochure on
responsible disposal of unwanted medicines.
Home Heating Oil Recovery
Alachua County residents can now properly dispose of unwanted home heating oil from tanks located on your property. If you have converted to gas or electric heating systems and you need to pump out your home heating oil tank, contact the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department at 352-264-6800 for further information. An application form will be provided, an inspector will come to your property and you will be placed on a list for pump-out. This is a free service for residents and the heating oil will be properly disposed by the Hazardous Waste Collection staff. Removing home heating oil form storage tanks will eliminate any potential of leaking tanks which would result in contaminating the soil and groundwater.
Boat Gas Pump Out Service is available at no cost to Alachua County residents at the Hazardous Waste coillection Center.
Fluorescent Lamp Recycling
With the increased use of energy efficient fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), comes the need to properly collect and recycle the lamps due to the small amount of mercury they contain to insure the protection of the environment. In addition to fluorescent lamps, mercury containing devices such as thermostats and thermometers should be brought to the Hazardous Waste Collection Center or to the Rural Collection Centers for proper disposal.
These local retailers also accept only fluorescent lamps and CFLs for recycling, call first for any special requirements:
- Georges Hardware, 372-6842
- Zell's Hardware, 378-4650
- Hawthorne Ace Hardware, 481-9928
- Indigo Green Store: 378-2285
- The Lighting Gallery, 377-8147
- Ace Hardware, High Springs, 386-454-0622
- Ace Hardware, Newberry, 352-472-2525
- Ace Hardware, Alachua, 386-462-1201
- All Home Depot locations are now accepting CFL's for recycling
Please see our Fluorescent Lamp Fact Sheet.
Used Oil Recycling
Used oil can be properly disposed at the HHWCC, the rural collection centers or at participating automotive repair shops and automotive parts stores. To find the closest participating public used oil collection center location, call toll free 1-800-741-4337 and enter your zip code.
Thermostat Recycling Pilot Program
The HWCC is participating in a pilot program for the collection of mercury containers thermostats in conjunction with the Thermostat Recycling Corporation. Non-digital thermostats contain the heavy metal mercury which poses serious environmental and health concerns. Simply bring your thermostat to the HHWCC for proper disposal. Other mercury containing devices and articles such as mercury fever thermometers can be properly disposed as well.
Reuse/ Recycling Program
The Hazardous Waste Collection Center also has a program for residents of Alachua County that provides a wide range of products for use in their home. Products such as latex and oil based paint, aerosol cans, cleaning products, fertilizers, pool chemicals, and automotive fluids that are dropped off by residents that are still in the original containers with directions for use are placed in the Reuse/Recycling Area at the Hazardous Waste Collection Center and are available for FREE to residents. The area is open during normal hours of operation.
Related Links
Please see our Hazardous Waste Collection Center brochure.