Household Hazardous Waste Information

Nearly every item found in your garage, basement, kitchen, bathroom cupboards and home office that you know doesn’t belong in the regular trash. Poisons, solvents, heavy metals, and other toxic products should never be poured down a drain or thrown into the trash. These items will only be accepted at:

Department of Public Works Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Receiving Facility

2000 E. Ferry Street (near I-75 and I-94)

(313) 923-2240

(313) 876-0148

Every Thursday from 7:30 am – 2:00 pm
Every Fourth Saturday of the Month from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
This facility is open to Detroit residents ONLY! There is no charge!

Acceptable Items (Home Toxics/Electronics):

Paint & Paint Products
Aerosol Cans
Pesticides/Herbicides
Batteries – Alkaline, Auto
Fluorescent Tubes
Propane Cylinders
Mercury
Corrosives – Acids, Bases
Medical Sharps
Medicine - OTC
Furniture Polish
Floor Care Products
Gasoline
Lighter Fluid
Kerosene
Oil
Antifreeze
Fuel
Pool Chemicals
Oxidizers
Fire Extinguishers
Smoke Detectors
Computer Monitors
Keyboards
Microwave
Mouse
Computer Terminals
Laptop Computers
Printers
Fax Machines
Scanners
Cable Boxes
Cell Phones
Typewriters
Televisions
DVDs/VCRs
Gaming Units

Unacceptable Items

No Commercial waste
Air Conditioning Units
Ammunition or Explosives
Appliances
Construction Materials
Construction Debris
Controlled Substances
No Lab Chemicals
Miscellaneous Car Parts
Non-Standard Gases
Radioactive Material
Shock-Sensitive Materials
Standard Household Trash
Yard Waste
Unknown/Unidentified Gases

Pharmaceuticals and Sharps

The disposal of unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals down a drain or toilet is damaging to the environment. Research has found that small amounts of pharmaceutical drugs collect in streams, lakes, and rivers by entering through wastewater treatment plants that treat residential, commercial, and industrial wastewater. The majority of these pharmaceuticals enter the sewer system through disposal of unused or expired medications down the toilet or drain. Increased amounts of pharmaceuticals in surface water bodies have been shown to increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

Empty all pills, caplets, etc. into a zip lock bag prior to placement in the container.
Take empty pill containers away for disposal in a home recycling bin.
Remove any and all personal information from container prior to placing it in the recycling bin.
Please only deposit needles, lancets, and similar items.

Please make sure these items are deposited in a rigid, sealed container. (HARD PLASTIC – e.g. laundry detergent containers).

For more info, you can call:

Household Hazardous Waste