At Brazos Valley Trash Valet & Recycling, we take proper waste disposal very seriously. While plenty of resources are available that list what materials belong in recycling, it is equally important to know what items do not belong in the trash.

Liquids

While it is nearly impossible to eliminate liquids in your garbage completely, you should always try to limit them when you can. Not only do liquids have a tendency to leak through garbage bags on the way to your dumpster, but they can also make a mess during the trash compacting process. Therefore, we advise pouring excess liquids down your drain before disposing of the containers. Read on to learn what to do if you are dealing with combustible liquids.

Combustibles

Combustible liquids don’t belong in the trash, and they certainly should never be poured down your drains at home. If you have gasoline, lighter fluid, motor oil, or any other combustible liquid you need to dispose of, you should take them to your local hazardous waste facility. Some automotive shops may even take them off of your hands and put them to good use.

Medications

Improper disposal of medication can be very damaging to your local water supply. Worse, your medications can end up in the hands of someone else for illegal use. If you have unused medicine that you need to get rid of, check around your community for a controlled substance public disposal. Additionally, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) holds National Drug Take-Back events that allow you to offload unwanted prescriptions safely.

Mail

Similarly to medications, mail should not be disposed of in the garbage “as is” for fear of it falling into the wrong hands. Shredding your mail before disposal eliminates the chances of having your personal information -or even your identity- stolen by someone going through your trash. Of course, paper is recyclable, so we advise first shredding your mail and then recycling it.

Miscellaneous Items

There are numerous items that are frequently thrown away that should never be in the trash due to the negative impact they have on the environment. These include, but are not limited to, any items containing mercury (think fluorescent bulbs, certain thermometers, etc.), as well as old laptops and small electric appliances.

If you have any questions about waste disposal or want to know more about our services, please contact Brazos Valley Trash & Recycling today!