Ecology Action Center: Waste Solutions - Special Disposal Items -- Household

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Household Items

Many of the items we have and use in our homes cannot be recycled with the weekly collection. Additionally, simply throwing them away can cause pollution of our water system when toxic products leech into the water supply. The following information is to help you determine the best way to dispose of those questionable items.

Mercury Thermostats:

Normal Public Works will accept old thermostats from McLean County residents at their facility located at 1301 Warriner Street (just inside the office door). Their hours are 7 AM – 3 PM Momday through Friday.

Latex Paint:

Latex paint is not considered hazardous waste and can be disposed of with regular garbage if dried to a solid form. The best means to dry it out is to pour it out onto several layers of newspaper or other disposable material, allow it to dry completely, and then roll up the newspaper and throw it away. Oil based paints CANNOT be disposed of in the trash but rather must wait for a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event.

Landscaping Waste:

To reduce waste try composting at home. Bloomington and Normal both have drop-off areas for residents for grass clippings and leaves. For more information about grass clipping and leaf drop-off in Bloomington, please call 309-434-2220 or visit the Bloomington Recycling and Garbage web page. For more information about drop off in Normal, please call 309-454-9571, or visit Normal Special Leaf, Brush, Landscape Waste and Bulky Waste Collection Web page.

Large Appliances:

Appliances in working order may be donated to Homes of Hope, 401 Pine St., Normal, 309-862-0607. Non-working appliances are collected in municipal bulky waste programs in Bloomington and Normal.

Household Chemicals and Pesticides:

The Illinois EPA conducts Household Hazardous waste events in locations around the state. To find out what materials are accepted in this program, and when it will be in your area, please visit the Illinois EPA Household Hazardous Waste Collections Web page.

Furniture and Household Items

Recycling Furniture for Families - 515 North Center Street, Bloomington, IL 61701, 309-829-6500. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm, and Saturday 9:00am - 12pm. Looking for clean, gently used furniture. Items such as: Headboards & bed frames, mattresses, dressers, couches, entertainment centers, tables, dining tables and chairs, end tables, night stands, coffee tables, dishes, glasses, silverware, pots and pans, strollers, and other various household items and furniture. RFI is also looking for volunteers. Contact them at the phone number above for more information. Visit their website at www.recyclingfurnitureforfamilies.org.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore - 1402 W. Washington Street. Their store hours are Wednesday - Friday 10am - 5pm and Saturday 9am - 4pm. Accepts any household items that are unused but still in working condition. Doors, windows, cabinets, coffee tables, appliances, and even building and remodeling materials are accepted and used to help families upgrade their homes. Pick-up dates are available if you schedule them in advance. Call (309) 454-6047 for questions or to schedule a pick-up. Also visit their website at www.habitatmclean.org/restore.

Propane Tanks:

FS Farmtown, Rte. 150, Bloomington, 309-662-9321. There is a $10 fee for each 20 lb. propane tank.

Fire Extinguishers:

Automotive Tires:

Tires can be recycled at any tire store for a small fee (about $1.50) for proper disposal. Larger tires cost more. Call store for details.

Smoke Detectors:

Many smoke detectors contain a small amount of Americum 241, so it is important not to open the detector. The EPA suggests calling the manufacturer of the detector to make arrangements to send it back to the manufacturer.

Business or Commercial Hazardous Wastes:

Institutional wastes should be collected by a commercial waste hauler, such as Safety Kleen in Pekin, 309-346-1818. For a list of other licensed special waste haulers and permitted facilities in Illinois, call the Office of Small Business toll-free at 1-888-EPA-1996..

Batteries:

Recycling batteries is important to protect our environment and our health. Each year Americans throw away 84,000 tons of alkaline batteries. Batteries make up 20% of household hazardous waste in landfills. When batteries are crushed and degrade, chemicals leak out into landfills, potentially threatening our environment. Using rechargeable batteries cuts down on this waste.

You can recycle your lead-acid batteries from vehicles and other motor devices, such as lawn mowers, at any place these batteries are sold. Rechargeable batteries can be recycled through the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation program at these participating retailers:

Non-rechargable batteries (residential waste only)

Non-rechargeable batteries (alkaline, AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt, zinc-carbon, zinc-air (used for hearing aids and other small devices), lithium (used for cameras and watches), button cell (watches, calculators, hearing aids), and rechargeable batteries Ni-Cad batteries from McLean County residents can be taken to these two retailers:

This recycling program is funded by the McLean County Solid Waste Fund and is specifically limited to residential waste only, no business waste.

There are new requirements for disposing of lithium and lithium ion batteries. In accordance to a new federal law, all lithium and lithium ion batteries must be either individually bagged or be taped on the ends to help prevent fires during transportation. Please help us comply with these requirements by individually bagging or taping the contacts on any lithium or lithium-ion batteries you recycle. For more information on the new procedures, click here. Also, for further information about batteries and battery guidelines, visit BatteryRecycling.com.

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