Household Hazardous Waste Facility

Hours of Operation

Hazardous materials appear in people's homes in such forms as paints and stains, cleansers and polishes, motor oil and antifreeze, and pesticides and herbicides, computers and fluorescent bulbs, just to name a few.

In the past, the only disposal option for these items in Lancaster County was placement in a landfill. Seeking to provide a better alternative, one that adhered more closely to its mission of managing waste in an environmentally safe and reliable manner, the Authority constructed Pennsylvania's first permanent Household Hazardous Waste Facility (HHW) in 1990. The collection center was completed in January 1991 and represented a cooperative effort by the Authority's staff, Board of Directors, and the Citizens Advisory Committee. The $275,000 facility was specifically designed to provide a safe disposal option for hazardous waste items. It allowed for the separation of hazardous waste items from household trash; which is beneficial to the environment and minimizes exposure to waste collection workers.

As part of the Transfer Station Complex renovations, a new drive-through HHW Facility was constructed in 2005 and opened in the early spring of 2006. The new facility provides convenient customer access out of the weather. It is built to meet the local codes based on the types of materials collected.

Many communities outside Lancaster County hold one-day collection events throughout the year, during which time residents may bring household hazardous waste to designated locations. But because Lancaster's HHW Facility is a permanent collection center, with convenient hours during the week and weekends, Lancaster County residents are able to dispose of household hazardous wastes on a continual basis.  It accepts most materials free of charge.

The materials accepted at the HHW include, but aren't limited to:

• e-waste: computers, cell phones & televisions which were added to the program on July 1, 2008
• fluorescent bulbs (including compact bulbs)
• auto products (transmission and brake fluids, antifreeze, used oil and batteries)
• floor and furniture polishes & household cleansers
• adhesives
• gasoline & kerosene
• household batteries
• old chemistry sets
• paints & paint-related products (stains, turpentine, thinners, rust inhibitors)
• pesticides, herbicides & insecticides
• photographic and pool chemicals

In 2007, over a million pounds of household hazardous waste were delivered to the facility by Lancaster County residents.