Do not place helium, oxygen or other gas tanks in your curbside recycling or trash. These items can cause explosions during the compaction process.

Gas tanks should first be returned to the company from which they were purchased. Contact the supplier for details on take-back or exchange programs.

If you cannot return the container to the supplier, see the options below.

Scrap Metal

• Mark Gray Enterprises accepts gas tanks for scrap metal. You must call ahead to ensure the tank can be accepted and is prepared properly for safe disposal.
• Other Scrap Metal Locations
  Call ahead to confirm whether your item is accepted, as requirements may vary by location.

SWACO Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off

Gas tanks, such as helium and oxygen tanks, are accepted at SWACO’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility. This service is free for Franklin County residents only.

Related Recycling Categories

Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Fire extinguishers contain chemicals that are not safe for landfill disposal or recycling facilities. Please do not place fire extinguishers in your recycling carts. Fire extinguishers should be disposed of at the SWACO Household Hazardous Waste Facility.

Related Recycling Categories

Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

A leading cause of sewer blockages across the U.S. is the accumulation of fats, oils, and greases in sanitary sewers. If wastewater can’t move freely through pipes and into the sewer system, it can back up into your home and can cause unsanitary conditions that can be expensive to repair.  Please take large volumes of expired cooking oil and grease to one of SWACO’s facilities for safe disposal. Items will be accepted if in a tightly sealed container.

Check out the City of Columbus wastewater treatment website to learn more about keeping fats, oils, and greases out of the sewer drains.

TIP

• Place cooled cooking oil and fats in a sealed container and discard small quantities with your regular trash.
• Use a paper towel to wipe cooking oil and fats from pots, pans, plates, and utensils prior to washing.

Related Recycling Categories

Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

• Automobiles, motorcycles, and many other items use Lead-acid batteries. These batteries can often be recycled at auto repair stores and auto parts stores. Call your local store to confirm that they will accept your battery.
• Power tools use a variety of battery types, including Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) and Lithium-ion (Li-ion).  All Lowes and Home Depot stores will accept batteries from power tools, as well as some other battery types.  
• SWACO Household Hazardous Waste facility and the SWACO Recycling Convenience Center will accept batteries for free.

ATTENTION

• Batteries should never be put in your curbside or drop-off recycling container. They can cause fires at the local recycling facility and put recycling workers at risk.
• Safety first! In order to safely prepare batteries for recycling either place each battery in its own clear plastic bag before placing it in a storage container or tape the battery terminals with clear packing tape or non-conductive electrical or duct tape, keeping the label visible so that the battery type can be identified.

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Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Cell phones and Cell Phone Batteries should NEVER be put in your curbside or drop-off recycling container. They can cause fires at the local recycling facility and put recycling workers at risk.

ATTENTION

• Cell phones and cell phone batteries can be recycled at a variety of locations, including Verizon, Lowes, Home Depot, and Best Buy stores.
• SWACO Household Hazardous Waste facility and the SWACO Recycling Convenience Center will accept batteries for free.
• Safety first! To safely prepare batteries for recycling either place each battery in its own clear plastic bag before placing it in a storage container or tape the battery terminals with clear packing tape or non-conductive electrical or duct tape, keeping the label visible so that the battery type can be identified.

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

To find a list of participating drop-off event locations in Franklin County, visit the DEA website.

To safely dispose of leftover pharmaceuticals from the home, the best option is to take them to a pharmaceutical drop-off location or a temporary collection event. There are many pharmaceutical drop-off locations available in central Ohio that can be located using the links and search button below.

Unused medicine that is left in the home creates a high risk of accidental overdose and illegal abuse if not properly disposed. Flushing medication down the toilet can contribute to water contamination and therefore is not recommended.

Pro tip

The SWACO Recycling Convenience Center will accept all empty prescription pill bottles (prescription pill bottles of any color, with or without labels, and lids too).

ATTENTION

• Only pills and other solid prescriptions, such as patches, can be disposed of at collection sites.
• Sharps are not accepted, but can be disposed of at several publicly available collection locations.

HELPFUL WEB SITES

• Safe Pharmacy – National Assocation of Boards of Pharmacy.
• RxDrugDropBox.org
• U.S DEA Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations Search Tool

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Hypodermic needles and other medical “sharps” pose a significant health threat to recycling and sanitation workers and should NEVER be put in your curbside or drop-off recycling container.

ATTENTION

• The safest option is to use an FDA-cleared sharps container to protect your family members, health workers, and sanitation workers prior to disposing of sharps. These containers are widely available at pharmacies and other retail stores.
• If an FDA-cleared container is not available, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has helpful instructions about alternatives that can be used.
• Several publicly available drop-off locations are available in central Ohio. Click here to learn more.

HELPFUL WEB SITES

• Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sharps Containers at Home
• SafeNeedleDisiposal.org
• FDA Safe Sharps

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Ionization smoke detectors contain a small amount of radioactive material to detect smoke. According to the U.S. EPA, there is no health threat from ionization smoke detectors as long as the detector is not tampered with and it is used as directed.

ATTENTION

• While ionization smoke detectors may legally be thrown away with household trash, it is preferable to take these items to SWACO’s Household Hazardous Waste facility or a temporary collection event whenever possible.
• Photoelectric smoke detectors do not contain any radioactive material and can be disposed in your household trash.
• Safety first! Never take apart an ionization smoke detector.

WHERE CAN I RECYCLE THESE ITEMS?

SWACO operates a permanent Household Hazardous Waste Center located at:

645 E. 8th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201
Phone: 614-294-1300

Weekly Hours
Wednesdays: 12pm-6pm
Thursdays: 9am-5pm
Fridays: 12pm-6pm
(Closed Holidays)

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks

Oil-based paint and similar products like paint thinner and solvents are flammable and hazardous. These items are accepted at SWACO’s permanent Household Hazardous Waste Facility and Recycling Convenience Center for free.

ATTENTION

These materials should not be placed in with your household garbage but should be taken to a Household Hazardous Waste facility or collection event whenever possible. Please consider buying less hazardous alternatives when possible!

PRO-TIP

Consider using a paint coverage calculator to avoid overbuying and disposing of unwanted paint.

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Household batteries include single-use and rechargeable batteries in a variety of sizes (AA, AAA, 9v, Lithium, Li-ion, Ni-Cd, Ni-Mh, & Ni-Zn). The use of rechargeable batteries is recommended to reduce the number of single-use batteries being disposed of each year.

While modern-day alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury and are classified as non-toxic by the Environmental Protection Agency, batteries are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from one another. Whenever possible, we recommend collecting all types of batteries, including alkaline and rechargeable batteries, for recycling at a specialized facility. Recycling all battery types enables the recovery of high-value metals, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, allowing for a second-life application in new electronics.

ATTENTION

• Batteries should never be put in your curbside recycling, drop-off recycling container, or trash. They can cause fires at the recycling and landfill facilities and put workers at risk.

HOW TO PREP BATTERIES FOR RECYCLING

• Rechargeable batteries (lithium, lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride) should be bagged or taped while storing or transporting them to a recycling facility.
  • Option 1: Tape the terminals with clear packing tape or nonconductive electrical or duct tape, keeping the label visible.
  • Option 2: Bag each rechargeable battery individually in a clear plastic bag before placing it in a storage container.
• Alkaline batteries do not need to be taped or bagged. They do not start fires.

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) (the small twisty type of light bulb) and fluorescent tubes contain a small amount of mercury and should be recycled whenever possible. The compact fluorescent bulbs can be recycled at all Lowes and Home Depot retail locations and at Batteries Plus Bulbs stores. Both compact and tube light bulbs are accepted at SWACO’s permanent Household Hazardous Waste facility.

ATTENTION

• CFLs and tube fluorescent tubes should never be put in your curbside or drop-off recycling container.
• Broken CFLs and fluorescent tubes can release mercury vapor and should be cleaned up using U.S. EPA recommendations. U.S. EPA recommends that you DO NOT VACUUM the area where the bulb broke. Please read their recommendations.
• Other light bulbs such as: LED, incandescent and halogen bulbs are safe to dispose of in the trash.

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Most retail stores that sell 20 lb. (gas grill size) propane tanks offer free exchange programs to get a new filled tank. Blue Rhino also offers a free recycling program for 20 lb. tanks that are no longer needed. Write “RECYCLE” on the tank and take it to any Blue Rhino location.

Smaller tanks are often not refillable but can be recycled at SWACO’s permanent Household Hazardous Waste facility.

ATTENTION!

Propane tanks should never be put in your curbside or drop-off recycling container. Even when they seem to be empty, they can retain enough propane to cause an explosion and put recycling workers at risk.

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Smoke Detectors

Most auto service stations and oil change businesses will accept used motor oil and used oil filters from residents for recycling. SWACO’s permanent household hazardous waste facility and Recycling Convenience Center also accepts motor oil for free.

ATTENTION

• Motor oil should never be used to kill weeds, as a dust suppressant on dirt or gravel roads, burned, or poured down the drain or sewer.
• Facilities that accept used motor oil may also accept other auto fluids such as antifreeze. Call and ask!

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Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Household Cleaners, Pesticides & Pool Chemicals Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors

Households generate a wide range of poisonous, dangerous, flammable, & corrosive products, including lawn chemicals, solvents, household cleaners, & pool chemicals.

ATTENTION!

These materials should not be placed in with your household garbage but should be taken to a Household Hazardous Waste facility or collection event whenever possible.  Please consider buying less hazardous alternatives when possible!

WHERE CAN I RECYCLE THESE ITEMS?

SWACO operates a permanent Household Hazardous Waste Center that accepts a wide variety of common household hazardous materials. A full list of materials is available at the web site below, or you can confirm acceptance by calling ahead.

Location
645 E. 8th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201
Phone: 614-294-1300

Weekly Hours
Wednesdays: 12pm-6pm
Thursdays: 9am-5pm
Fridays: 12pm-6pm
(Closed Holidays)

Related Recycling Categories

Car & Power Tool Batteries Cell Phones & Cell Phone Batteries Fats, Oils & Greases Fire Extinguishers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gas Tanks Household Batteries Hypodermic Needles & Sharps Motor Oils Oil-Based Paint Pharmaceuticals Propane Tanks Smoke Detectors