Household Hazardous Waste

You may bring your Household hazardous waste to the landfill's new Regional Collection Center year-round!
Howard County residents may now dispose of Household Hazardous Waste at no charge. There will be a charge for farm and business hazardous waste. This new program does NOT include solid waste (garbage, construction & demolition debris, etc.), which must continue to go to the Winneshiek County Landfill. This program for Howard County is made possible by the Floyd-Mitchell-Chickasaw Landfill, with assistance from the Howard County Supervisors, Howard County Recycling Coordinator Craig Fencl, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Winneshiek County and businesses and residents may also use our facilities for disposal of Household Hazardous Waste either at our Regional Collection Center or via our Mobile Collection Unit which will come to Decorah in the spring/fall. Watch your paper for details. This service was made possible with assistance from the Winneshiek County Landfill, Winneshiek County Supervisors, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Regional Collection Center
This service is provided to the residents of Floyd, Mitchell, Chickasaw and Howard counties in an effort to protect our groundwater by properly disposing of HOUSEHOLD Hazardous Waste at no cost to residents. Businesses and farms may contact us at 877-982-4288 for disposal pricing and information. We can help you dispose of farm waste (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) and business waste (toners, solutions, chemicals, etc.) but there will be a charge. Businesses (including farms) must meet EPA criteria of a "Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator" (CESQG). Pre-approval is required. Forms are available by calling 877-982-4288. Business hazardous waste is classified differently than residential household hazardous waste.
We will safely dispose of your household hazardous waste such as cleaners, paint, varnish, oil, oil filters, household and automotive batteries, fluorescent bulbs, antifreeze, etc.. New this year is the acceptance of sharps. We do not accept Fire Extinguishers, Ammunition, Asbestos, Pressurized Cylinders, Cooking Oil, empty containers, appliances, electronics or garbage at the HHW sites.
Mobile Collection
This service is offered free for HOUSEHOLD WASTE, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY , generally April through October once a month at a designated location in all three counties. Make your appointment or get more information now by calling 1-877-982-4288 between the hours of 7 AM and 2:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Household Hazardous Waste? Almost every home contains hazardous products. They are used in cleaning, home improvement projects, automobile maintenance, lawn and garden care, and a variety of other tasks. Household hazardous materials (HHMs) are products which pose a health threat when disposed of improperly. Hazardous wastes usually have one or more of the following characteristics:
Corrosive or Caustic: They eat or wear away at most materials.
Flammable: They easily ignite.
Reactive: They can react with other chemicals and produce deadly vapors.
Toxic: They are poisonous to humans and animals.
Signal words printed on the label such as CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING, or KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN indicate that a material is probably a
hazardous household product.
How Do I Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste? Bring these items to the Landfill during its normal operating hours. Or use the Mobile pick up during April through October. There is no charge for Household Hazardous Waste. If you are a business, or the waste is from a hobby, there will probably be a charge. Call the Agency for more information.
Why do you need an appointment to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste at the mobile collections? An appointment is necessary for several reasons. Each Mobile Collection is only open for a specific day and for specific times as mentioned above. When you call for an appointment, we will determine if you are eligible to use our services, if the materials you plan to bring are acceptable, and we can get an idea of the quantities for staffing and equipment reasons. The staff often leaves the site after the last appointment has left, so if you don’t have an appointment and simply show up, you may be the only person there!
How do I dispose of Latex Paint? Good news! Latex paint is water-based, meaning it is NOT hazardous, and can be safely disposed of at home. Take a can
of paint, and add cat litter or sawdust into it. Give it a good stir, and leave the lid off to let it dry. When it’s dry, keep the lid off and toss the paint can into the garbage! If you have more than half a gallon of paint, pour the paint out onto strips of newspaper for drying. When it’s all dry – toss it in the garbage.
Items accepted include:
Oil Based Varnish
Pool Chemicals Rug Cleaner
Insecticides Motor Oil
Weed Killers Furniture Polish
Paint Thinner Antifreeze
Fertilizers Spot Remover
Furniture Stripper Gasoline
Slug Bait Air Freshener
Wood Preservative Glue, Cement
Rat Poison Household Batteries
Aerosol Cans Oven Cleaner
Kerosene Vehicle Batteries
Insecticides Drain Opener
Pesticides Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Photographic Supplies Fluorescent Bulbs and Ballasts
Small Business
Call the Landfill at 877-982-4288 for instructions and fees regarding the disposal of hazardous waste.
There is a charge for Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators.
A Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG) is a business that produces hazardous waste in small quantities.CESQG- Determining Status: Amount of hazardous waste generated. As per the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Your business qualifies as a CESQG, if the following rules are met:
I. Business must generate 220 pounds or less of hazardous waste per month and accumulate no more than 2,200 pounds on site at any one time.
II. Businesses must generate 2.2 pounds or less of acutely hazardous waste per month and accumulate no more than this amount on site at any one time.
The above mentioned wastes are NOT accepted directly at landfill, only collection sites.
Howard County residents may now dispose of Household Hazardous Waste at no charge. There will be a charge for farm and business hazardous waste. This new program does NOT include solid waste (garbage, construction & demolition debris, etc.), which must continue to go to the Winneshiek County Landfill. This program for Howard County is made possible by the Floyd-Mitchell-Chickasaw Landfill, with assistance from the Howard County Supervisors, Howard County Recycling Coordinator Craig Fencl, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Winneshiek County and businesses and residents may also use our facilities for disposal of Household Hazardous Waste either at our Regional Collection Center or via our Mobile Collection Unit which will come to Decorah in the spring/fall. Watch your paper for details. This service was made possible with assistance from the Winneshiek County Landfill, Winneshiek County Supervisors, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Regional Collection Center
This service is provided to the residents of Floyd, Mitchell, Chickasaw and Howard counties in an effort to protect our groundwater by properly disposing of HOUSEHOLD Hazardous Waste at no cost to residents. Businesses and farms may contact us at 877-982-4288 for disposal pricing and information. We can help you dispose of farm waste (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) and business waste (toners, solutions, chemicals, etc.) but there will be a charge. Businesses (including farms) must meet EPA criteria of a "Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator" (CESQG). Pre-approval is required. Forms are available by calling 877-982-4288. Business hazardous waste is classified differently than residential household hazardous waste.
We will safely dispose of your household hazardous waste such as cleaners, paint, varnish, oil, oil filters, household and automotive batteries, fluorescent bulbs, antifreeze, etc.. New this year is the acceptance of sharps. We do not accept Fire Extinguishers, Ammunition, Asbestos, Pressurized Cylinders, Cooking Oil, empty containers, appliances, electronics or garbage at the HHW sites.
Mobile Collection
This service is offered free for HOUSEHOLD WASTE, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY , generally April through October once a month at a designated location in all three counties. Make your appointment or get more information now by calling 1-877-982-4288 between the hours of 7 AM and 2:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Household Hazardous Waste? Almost every home contains hazardous products. They are used in cleaning, home improvement projects, automobile maintenance, lawn and garden care, and a variety of other tasks. Household hazardous materials (HHMs) are products which pose a health threat when disposed of improperly. Hazardous wastes usually have one or more of the following characteristics:
Corrosive or Caustic: They eat or wear away at most materials.
Flammable: They easily ignite.
Reactive: They can react with other chemicals and produce deadly vapors.
Toxic: They are poisonous to humans and animals.
Signal words printed on the label such as CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING, or KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN indicate that a material is probably a
hazardous household product.
How Do I Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste? Bring these items to the Landfill during its normal operating hours. Or use the Mobile pick up during April through October. There is no charge for Household Hazardous Waste. If you are a business, or the waste is from a hobby, there will probably be a charge. Call the Agency for more information.
Why do you need an appointment to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste at the mobile collections? An appointment is necessary for several reasons. Each Mobile Collection is only open for a specific day and for specific times as mentioned above. When you call for an appointment, we will determine if you are eligible to use our services, if the materials you plan to bring are acceptable, and we can get an idea of the quantities for staffing and equipment reasons. The staff often leaves the site after the last appointment has left, so if you don’t have an appointment and simply show up, you may be the only person there!
How do I dispose of Latex Paint? Good news! Latex paint is water-based, meaning it is NOT hazardous, and can be safely disposed of at home. Take a can
of paint, and add cat litter or sawdust into it. Give it a good stir, and leave the lid off to let it dry. When it’s dry, keep the lid off and toss the paint can into the garbage! If you have more than half a gallon of paint, pour the paint out onto strips of newspaper for drying. When it’s all dry – toss it in the garbage.
Items accepted include:
Oil Based Varnish
Pool Chemicals Rug Cleaner
Insecticides Motor Oil
Weed Killers Furniture Polish
Paint Thinner Antifreeze
Fertilizers Spot Remover
Furniture Stripper Gasoline
Slug Bait Air Freshener
Wood Preservative Glue, Cement
Rat Poison Household Batteries
Aerosol Cans Oven Cleaner
Kerosene Vehicle Batteries
Insecticides Drain Opener
Pesticides Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Photographic Supplies Fluorescent Bulbs and Ballasts
Small Business
Call the Landfill at 877-982-4288 for instructions and fees regarding the disposal of hazardous waste.
There is a charge for Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators.
A Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG) is a business that produces hazardous waste in small quantities.CESQG- Determining Status: Amount of hazardous waste generated. As per the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Your business qualifies as a CESQG, if the following rules are met:
I. Business must generate 220 pounds or less of hazardous waste per month and accumulate no more than 2,200 pounds on site at any one time.
II. Businesses must generate 2.2 pounds or less of acutely hazardous waste per month and accumulate no more than this amount on site at any one time.
The above mentioned wastes are NOT accepted directly at landfill, only collection sites.