The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio has opened a permanent Household Hazardous Wastes collection center. You can now bring your old flammables, chemicals, oil-based paint, mercury/nickel-cadmium/lithium household batteries, fluorescent light bulbs and more for disposal in an environmentally responsible manner.  A list of acceptable materials is found here.  This service is for residential use only.  Businesses with hazardous waste please call the Ohio EPA at 614-728-3778.    

The facility is at 1249 Essex Ave., at the corner of E. Eighth Ave.  This is a few blocks west of the 11th Ave. exit of I-71).  Collection is at the rear of the building.  Drop-off hours are Wednesdays from 2-9 pm and Thursdays from 9am-6pm. Dropping off wastes at other times will be considered illegal dumping.

SWACO intends to continue warm weather mobile collections at various locations in the city.

Disposal tip:  Latex paint is water soluble and can be dried out converting it to a non-hazardous material. There are paint hardeners available in stores or you can mix the paint with cat litter or sawdust. Leave the lid off to speed up the process. When the paint is dry it can be put with your regular trash.