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Home Toxics (Paint, Oil, Pesticides & More)
About the Center
The Home Toxics Center is Washtenaw County's Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program.
The Home Toxics Center accepts many different materials, including paints, flammable items (like oils and automotive fluids), batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and more for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal. If you can’t find your item on our accepted items list, contact us to help you find your best option for disposal.
On weekdays, the Home Toxics Center is accessed by appointment or for select small loads without an appointment. The Home Toxics Center's Weekday Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. View the "Do I need an appointment?" section to determine if you need an appointment to use our weekday services.
Saturday Collection Events (no appointment necessary) are held the first three Saturdays of the month, April through November, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., except for holiday weekends.
To use our program, you must be a Washtenaw County resident and the items you are bringing in must not have been used for a business, government entity, or other organization.
The Washtenaw County Home Toxics Center provides waste diversion to residents in compliance with State of Michigan legislation. To keep our program open and able to meet the needs of Washtenaw County residents, wastes from businesses, government entities, and other organizations are not accepted. If you are looking to dispose of waste from your business, government entity, or organization, please call us at 734-222-3950 for referrals. Pesticides can be accepted regardless of business use or out-of-county residency.
Contributions
The Home Toxics Center is a free service to residents, but accepts voluntary contributions that go directly towards disposal costs. Contributions are important because our program is not supported by tax dollars. Contributions can be made by cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Apple Pay virtually through PayPal using the button below. To make a cash or check donation, our waste specialists can provide an envelope to drop off at the front of the building.
Do I need an appointment?
If you’d like to attend a Saturday Collection Event, no appointment is necessary.
Weekday drop-offs without appointments can only be accepted for small loads of material (less than 10 gallons of paint or two moving boxes of items) during our open hours. Larger loads will be turned away and required to make an appointment. We will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate small loads for unscheduled drop-offs. Residents with large loads are highly encouraged to come to a Saturday Collection Event due to higher staffing levels on Saturdays. If you cannot attend a Saturday event with a large load to drop-off, make a weekday appointment.
Due to high volumes and staff limitations, we reserve the right to turn away residents without appointments on weekdays. Please call our hotline at 734-222-3950 ahead of your arrival to ensure we will be able to serve you, and review our packaging instructions to stay safe when transporting hazardous materials.
During the week, scheduling an appointment guarantees that our staff is available to take your items, makes you our priority, and improves our efficiency. Unscheduled drop-offs will need to wait while residents with appointments are being helped.
- Volunteer with us
- Directions
- Inclement weather notice
- What are home toxics?
- Using less hazardous materials
- Medication disposal locations
- Other Counties and State-Wide resources
If you’re interested in keeping hazardous materials out of the environment, recycling, or public service, you’ll enjoy volunteering with us! Our Saturday Collection Events utilize volunteers to check in customers and remove materials from their vehicles. Volunteers help us run efficiently and smoothly. Snacks, protective equipment, and training are provided!
View open volunteer slots and sign up to volunteer here.
The Washtenaw County Home Toxics Center is located at 705 N Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, at the Western Washtenaw Services Center. The building is located between the Washtenaw County Road Commission and Scio Township Hall.
Never drop-off toxic materials without a County employee to assist you. Leaving toxic materials outside the collection area fence or anywhere in the parking lot is illegal and strictly prohibited.
For weekday drop-offs (both without an appointment or scheduled through an appointment), use the map below to learn where to go and park. For additional assistance, call our hotline at 734-222-3950.
All appointments are subject to postponement due to inclement weather such as high winds, high heat, thunder, lightning, exceptionally low temperatures, and more. Staff will notify appointments if we cannot serve you as planned. A closed Saturday Collection Event notification will be posted to the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commission home page and Facebook page. Please check online or call ahead if you are uncertain.
There are many products in your home that are considered "household hazardous waste" and must be disposed of properly - like paints, oils, cleaning chemicals, and more. Household hazardous wastes can ultimately make their way into our water, soil, and air, causing environmental and public health issues.
The Home Toxics Center aims to make a difference in our community by safely disposing of or recycling our residents’ home toxics.
When preparing to buy a new product for your home, read the label first to see if it poses a threat. It may be hazardous if words such as: warning, caution, flammable, poison, danger, corrosive, combustible, toxic, or hazardous are on the label.
Learn about household hazardous waste from the Environmental Protection Agency.
When preparing to buy new products for your home, read the label first to see if it poses a threat. The product may be hazardous if words such as: warning, caution, flammable, poison, danger, corrosive, combustible, toxic, or hazardous are on the label. Sometimes home toxics are unavoidable, but in many cases there are alternatives that are safer for your family and the environment.
Safer Choice is the EPA's program to help consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy lists four ways to reduce your household hazardous waste:
- Check the label before you buy
- Use the product as the manufacturer instructs
- Buy only what you need
- Store products safely
The Home Toxics Center cannot accept medications for disposal, but there are many other locations that can! Visit the Medication Disposal Network to find Washtenaw County locations that accept medications or sharps.
For out-of-county medication or sharps disposal, check out EGLE's Household Drug Takeback Map for locations across the state.
Livingston County Department of Public Works - holds Household Hazardous Waste Events, typically one each in spring, summer, and fall.
For out-of-county residents that cannot use our programs, EGLE maintains a list of contacts and resources for other Michigan Counties. Chose the "EGLE County Recycling and HHW Contact List" on this page to find additional resources.
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Home Toxics Center
Physical Address
705 N Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone: 734-222-3950 (Hotline)
Hours
Weekday Drop-Offs
- Drop-offs accepted year-round, appointments highly encouraged. Drop-off with appointments are limited, see details.
- Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- Closed on holidays.
Saturday Collection Events
- April through November, first three Saturdays of each month.
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Closed on holiday weekends.
- Saturday Collection Event Calendar