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Toxic materials such as mercury and lead and various chemicals must not be discarded in the trash, for health and safety reasons.
Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients are considered to be “household hazardous waste” or “HHW.” Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides, that contain potentially hazardous ingredients require special care when you dispose of them.
Household Hazardous Waste includes oil based paint and solvents; transmission or brake fluid or antifreeze; oven & drain cleaner; fungicides, herbicides and pesticides; waste oil or gasoline; battery or other acids.
Universal Waste includes rechargeable and car batteries; fever and cooking thermometers; some gas appliances; PCB ballasts; lamps ‐ fluorescent, high pressure sodium, neon, mercury vapor and metal halide; old chest freezers; weather barometers; blood pressure cuffs; TVs, computers, monitors and other electronics.
Trenton participates in a special collection of hazardous and universal waste each September at MDI High School. Announcements about the date will be published in local papers, and you can ask at the Town Office or by calling Acadia Disposal District at 276- 5743. EMR, the transfer station in Southwest Harbor, accepts “universal waste” (but not hazardous waste) items the second Saturday of each month, from 9:00 to 1:00.
Improper disposal of household hazardous wastes can include pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some cases putting them out with the trash. The dangers of such disposal methods might not be immediately obvious, but improper disposal of these wastes can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health.
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