Hazardous Waste Collection

Prince George’s County opened the Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site in the spring of 2000. The site, which is located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill in Upper Marlboro, is open and free of charge to County citizens and residents who need to dispose of harmful household waste.

Improper disposal of these materials is harmful to the environment:

Hazardous Waste Disposal Contract

To ensure the proper handling and disposal of the hazardous materials that are collected at the Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site, the county has contracted with a licensed hazardous waste disposal company. The professional team oversees the collection of items and materials at the drop-off facility as well as the community collection events. As an added convenience, the site is designed to be a drive through location.

County residents do not have to leave their vehicles to dispose of their unwanted items. A licensed hazardous materials company professional will remove all acceptable items from your vehicle and dispose of them in an environmentally safe manner.

Collection for Senior Citizens & the Disabled

To qualify, no one living in the home can be under 65 years of age or be physically able to transport the material to the county’s facility. Residents who qualify for this service should call 311 to schedule an appointment for the at home collection of household hazardous waste.

Proper Disposal of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

CFLs are being used in more homes and businesses than ever before. By using CFLs, consumers can save money and energy through reduced energy consumption and lower utility bills. CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury within the tubing - an average of 5 milligrams - and are safe to use in your home. However, the bulbs should be handled with care. Precautions should be taken to properly handle broken CFLs and to dispose of used fluorescent lamps

  • Proper Disposal of CFLs
    • Do not throw CFLs away in your household garbage.
    • Consumers can take all used, unbroken CFL bulbs to any Home Depot store and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will be recycled by an environmental management company to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.
  • Proper Clean up for Broken CFLs
    • Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
    • On hard surfaces, carefully scoop up broken glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels in a plastic bag.
    • On carpeting or rugs, carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken and place the vacuum bag and debris in a sealed plastic bag.
    • Take the plastic bags to the Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance site for proper and safe disposal.

Improper disposal of these materials is harmful to the environment. Operation to ensure the proper handling and disposal of the hazardous materials that are collected at the Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site, the county has contracted with a licensed hazardous waste disposal company. The professional team oversees the collection of items and materials at the drop-off facility as well as the community collection events. As an added convenience, the site is designed to be a drive through location. County residents do not have to leave their vehicles to dispose of their unwanted items. A licensed hazardous materials company professional will remove all acceptable items from your vehicle and dispose of them in an environmentally safe manner (Information courtesy of EPA website).

Proper Disposal of Smoke Detectors

Most smoke detectors have a very small amount of Americium 241, which is radioactive (requiring landfilling at a low level radioactive landfill).

Options for proper disposal include returning smoke detectors to manufacturers (many accept their product back for proper disposal). A listing of companies that take back smoke detectors and provide applicable information may be found at http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2012/pb22334/html/cover_025.htm.

Prescription Drugs/Medications

Take unused, unneeded or expired non-controlled prescription drugs out of their original prescription bottles to protect your personal information. Crush medication and place in an impermeable, non-descript container such as an empty can or sealable bag. Mix with coffee grounds, dirt or kitty litter and discard with regular trash. Liquid medication may be handled in the same fashion.