Did you know that Americans generate approximately 1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste (HHW) each year? Disposing of this type of waste properly can be challenging, but luckily Hendricks County has an excellent resource in the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District, which offers a number of educational programs and recycling options for Hendricks County residents.
Defining HHW
Tox-Away Day events are held throughout the year to help make it easy for individuals to dispose of HHW. These items are often common household chemicals or substances that are no longer needed, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and similar items. The Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District says, “A good rule of thumb to use when pinpointing HHW around your home is the use of caution words that will be on the containers’ labels–words such as ‘warning’, ‘flammable’, ‘toxic’, ‘poison’ and ‘caution’ all indicate that the chemical should be treated as HHW when it’s time to dispose of it.”
All HHW is accepted from households at no cost on Tox-Away Days. There are small fees for recycling televisions, appliances, and tires (over a certain number) and that information can be found here.
Only Hendricks County residents are allowed to bring items to these events. Regulations prevent hazardous waste from organizations such as businesses, non-profits, churches, and schools from being accepted. Latex pain should not be brought for disposal; because it is water-based, it is safe to dispose of with household trash once it has been solidified.
2018 Tox-Away Day Dates
- Saturday, April 7, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Brownsburg High School
- Saturday, May 19, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hendricks County Fairgrounds & Conference Complex
- Saturday, July 28, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hickory Elementary School
- Saturday, September 15, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hendricks County Fairgrounds & Conference Complex
- Saturday, October 20, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Plainfield Middle School
If you’d like to learn more about upcoming Tox-Away Days, see the schedule here.