Household Hazardous Waste

SWACO provides Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) disposal services for all Franklin County residents.  Identifying HHW is easy. Look for keywords on the container such as poison, danger, caution, flammable, corrosive, or use in a well-ventilated area. Please consider buying less hazardous alternatives when possible! 

Most items are free to dispose of except latex and water-based paints.  Latex and water-based paints are not considered hazardous. Therefore, latex and water-based paints are not accepted as part of SWACO's free HHW program.  

Latex and water-based paints are not accepted as part of SWACO's free residential HHW program.  However, EEI will accept the material for a charge.  Please contact EEI, Inc. at 614-294-1300 for disposal prices of latex paint (typically $1.00 per gallon).

Paint hardeners, available at most hardware stores, may be added to leftover latex paint in order to solidify the unused product. The lid may also be left off to speed up the drying process.  Kitty litter or sawdust may also be used, but it may take up to several days before the paint is fully solidified if using this method.  Once dried it may be disposed of with your regular trash.  

Facility Drop-Off 

Help us keep HHW out of the landfill. SWACO contracts Environmental Enterprises Incorporated (EEI) to offer free residential recycling for HHW. Residents can bring accepted waste items for recycling and/or environmentally safe disposal.

The HHW Facility is located at: 

645 E. 8th Avenue 
Columbus, Ohio 43201 (The corner of E. 8th and Essex Avenue) 
Phone: 614-294-1300
Get Directions » 

Weekly Hours (Closed Holidays) 

Wednesdays: 12 pm - 6 pm 
Thursdays: 9 am - 5 pm 
Fridays: 12 pm - 6 pm

* Note for Franklin County Businesses

This program is not offered to businesses. Businesses should contact EEI, Inc. at 614-294-1300 to inquire about the cost to collect or accept their hazardous materials.

Mobile Collection Events

SWACO also partners with local communities to offer several mobile collection events each year for residents. The following events have been scheduled for 2023: 

Saturday, May 6, 2023

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
City of Dublin, 6351 Shier Rings Rd. (City of Dublin Fleet Maintenance Building)

Saturday, September 23, 2023

8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
City of Grove City, 3226 Kingston Ave. (Parks and Recreation Department)

Saturday, October 7, 2023

8 a.m. to 2 p.m, 
City of Westerville, 350 Park Meadow Rd., (Westerville Service Department)

Unaccepted Items

  • Ammunition
  • Appliances
  • Asbestos
  • Needles, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Waste
  • Spray Foam Insulation Cylinders (e.g. Froth Paks)
  • Tires
  • Trash

Accepted Items

  • Flammables
  • Toxics - fluorescent light bulbs including Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) and ballasts, fire extinguishers, antifreeze, insecticides, lawn chemicals and fertilizers, rat poison, etc.
  • Batteries - all batteries including alkaline, computer, vehicle, and others.  New and used can catch fire if stored in close contact with each other. Batteries should always be stored in storage cases made for this purpose or in the original packaging.
  • Corrosives - acids, caustics, bleach, household cleaners, and paint strippers.
  • Reactives - cyanides, pool chemicals, etc.
  • Oil-Based Paint
  • Spray Paint
  • Stains
  • Old Gasoline
  • Gasoline mixed with oil
  • Motor Oil
  • Kerosene
  • Lighter Fluid
  • Oxygen tanks
  • Polishes
  • Propane cylinders and tanks
  • Helium tanks
  • Smoke detectors
  • Thermostats containing mercury
  • Thinners
  • Turpentine
  • Fats, Oils & Greases - items will be accepted if delivered in a tightly sealed container.