11 Things You Shouldn't Throw Away In The Trash, According To Experts

Whether you’re doing a weekly household clean, spring cleaning, deep cleaning, de-cluttering, speed cleaning, or cleaning like a Southern mama or a Southern grandmother, we are here for it. It’s just so satisfying to make a place neat. However, while you’re doing all that tidying up, there are a few things to keep in mind, specifically about what can and cannot be thrown away in the trash and what requires a little extra attention.

While you may want to de-clutter a garage, tossing paint and turpentine in the trash is generally a no-no as they are technically hazardous waste. There are plenty of other items that may qualify as trash, but shouldn’t be thrown in the trash bin. We spoke to experts about the dos and don’ts of trash, however, the rules can vary from city, county, and state. The best way to find out the rules for your community is to do a little research. Contact your local waste collection agency or municipal government to find out the specific rules for your area. 

According to experts, here are some items that should generally be kept out of the trash: 

Aerosol Cans

Don’t put aerosol cans in the trash according to Quhannah N. Andrews, Senior Director of Sanitation in Savannah, Georgia. Instead, take them to a landfill or your local waste transfer station. 

Aluminum Cans

“Americans use more than 80 billion aluminum cans a year, but recycle on about 52% of them,” says Mitch Ratcliffe of recycling database, Earth 911. Instead of chucking them in the trash, recycle them. “Recycling a can saves 95% of the energy needed to make a can from raw ore, as well as reduces the need for mining bauxite, which has significant environmental costs,” says Ratcliffe.

Tires

“It is illegal to landfill tires in Georgia,” says Abbie Sawyer, a Commercial Recycling Specialist at Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department in Georgia. “They must be recycled or reused safely.” So what do you do with them? In Georgia, at least, any business that puts tires on vehicles should hold on to the old tires for proper disposal. Your local waste collection site may also have a place to dispose of tires properly.

Batteries

“They are the #1 cause of landfill and recycling facility fires,” says Sawyer. “Take them to drop-off locations that specifically accept used batteries.” Check locally.

Pressurized Containers

This includes fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, oxygen tanks, and propane tanks, according to Ricky Richter, a Media Relations Specialist at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. To properly dispose of these items, contact your local waste collection facility and ask if they have a household hazardous waste collection program.

Fuels, Motor Oil, Chemicals, and Cleaners

This includes automotive fluids (antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline), corrosive cleaners (lye-based oven cleaner, detergents, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and chlorine-based bleaches), and fuels (gasoline, propane, diesel), per Richter.  Take all hazardous materials to a Household Hazardous Materials Collection facility. 

Liquids

In addition to the items listed above, this includes paints, pesticides, and more. “No landfill accepts containers with substantial amounts of liquids, no matter the container,” says Sawyer. “Take pesticides, cleaning agents, motor oil, paint cans with wet paint, or other hazardous materials to a Household Hazardous Materials Collection facility.” Check with your local government to see if have an established facility dedicated to collecting hazardous materials or if they organize hazardous material collection drives.

Lightbulbs

According to Andrews, light bulbs should be taken “to a landfill or convenience center to be disposed of properly.”

Paper and Cardboard

“Paper and cardboard are widely accepted and can be recycled three to five times before they must be composted,” explains Ratcliffe. “Recycling paper products saves 31% of the energy and 53% of the water needed to make paper from virgin fiber.”

Mattresses

“These are impossible to compress in a landfill setting and can tangle the machinery used on the active face of landfills,” says Sawyer. Contact your local waste collection organization to find out the proper way to dispose of mattresses. 

Needles and Razor Blades

Do not make waste collection more hazardous. Dispose of dangerous items properly by contacting your local hazardous waste collection site.