Household Hazardous Waste
Please utilize the WASTE WIZARD to assist you in finding the most current information on what is accepted where, fees, and site operating hours.
Help keep hazardous stuff out of the landfill - the lakes will thank you.
Every year Canadian families buy 40 to 50 different kinds of flammable, corrosive, and toxic cleaners, pesticides, paints and other products. Thrown in the garbage or dumped down the drain, these materials can poison our lakes, rivers and groundwater supplies.
Bring it in for safe disposal. Every drop counts.
Algonquin Highlands hosts five Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) events each year, between the May long weekend and Thanksgiving. With the exception of the Big Red items listed below, household hazardous waste materials can only be disposed of at HHW events. There is no charge for household hazardous waste brought to an HHW event.
Remain inside your vehicle at the hazardous waste drop off: event staff will unload your household hazardous waste for you.
Make your household hazardous waste easily accessible: keep it separate from other wastes or items in your vehicle.
Assess your health before attending: if you are feeling sick, do not attend.
Household Hazardous Waste Events
You may attend any event in the County of Haliburton, not just those in Algonquin Highlands! You must show your valid Algonquin Highlands landfill user ID card (bright pink) to attend any event. If you attend an event outside of the Township of Algonquin Highlands only your household hazardous waste will be accepted, no other waste (no garbage, no recycling, etc.).
2023 Event dates:
| DATE | LOCATION | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 20 2023 | Tory Hill Landfill, 19178 Hwy 118, Tory Hill | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Saturday, June 3, 2023 | S.G. Nesbitt Arena, 55 Parkside Street, Minden Hills | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Saturday, June 10, 2023 | Maple Lake Waste Disposal Site | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Saturday, July 15, 2023 | Haliburton Landfill, 222 Industrial Park Rd., Haliburton | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM |
| Saturday, July 22, 2023 | Glamorgan Transfer Station | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Saturday, August 5, 2023 | Oxtongue Lake Landfill, 3401 Hwy 60, Oxtongue Lake | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Saturday, August 26, 2023 | S.G. Nesbitt Arena, 55 Parkside Street, Minden Hills | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Saturday, August 26, 2023 | Harcourt Landfill, 1123 Packard Road, Harcourt | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 | West Guilford Landfill, 11903 Hwy 118, West Guilford | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM |
| Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 | S.G. Nesbitt Arena, 55 Parkside Street, Minden Hills | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 | Dorset Transfer Station, 1087 Maple Ridge Dr., Dorset | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Saturday, October 7, 2023 | Tory Hill Landfill, 19178 Hwy 118, Tory Hill | 10:00 - 2:00 PM |
| Saturday, October 14, 2023 | Maple Lake Landfill | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
All dates and times subject to change. Notification of changes will be posted to this webpage, through the Township "News and Notices" and via the Waste Wizard (sign up for reminders under the Waste Event Calendar tab).
Materials accepted at HHW events include:
► automotive batteries ► paints and stains ► finishing products (varnish, glue, etc.) ► propane cylinders & canisters ► antifreeze & containers ► used motor oil and oil filters ► cleaners (e.g. bleach, oven cleaner) ► solvents (e.g. Varsol, paint thinner, etc.) ► pesticides, fungicides, herbicides ► fertilizers ► pool and hot tub chemicals ► corrosive materials ► flammable materials ► toxic materials ► reactive materials.
IMPORTANT: Containers you bring with HHW will not be returned to you (e.g. if you bring a gas can full of gas you cannot empty out the gas and take the container home). Be sure all containers are labeled and sealed.
Materials are accepted from households only, no materials will be accepted from commercial sources including businesses and organizations, builders, camps, charities, contractors, painting companies, places of worship, restaurants, retailers, and schools.
Big Red Bin
The following items may also be deposited year-round in the BIG RED bin at any Algonquin Highlands landfill site:
- Household batteries - single-use/disposable and rechargeable
- CFL light bulbs (note: regular incandescent bulbs and LED bulbs can go in regular garbage)
- Empty plastic automotive fluid containers
- Empty aerosol cans
Fluorescent and UV light tubes and propane tanks – BBQ size and single-use/disposable cylinders – can also be brought to the Maple Lake, Dorset or Oxtongue Lake Landfill sites at any time. Ask your Attendant where to place them. There is a fee to dispose of Fluorescent tubes and UV bulbs.
Please DO NOT leave paints, stains or any other liquid hazardous waste at any Algonquin Highlands waste disposal site, as the Township is not permitted to accept or store them except during an HHW event. Several home building stores offer paint recycling programs. This is a great way to dispose of your leftover paint during the winter months, between hazardous waste events. Call the store before you go to make sure they offer such a program and if they have any restrictions.
Medication and Sharps Return Program
The Ontario Medications Return Program (OMRP) offers a safe and easy way to dispose of medications we all have in our homes. OMRP covers all prescription drugs, medications such as over-the-counter medications, including topical antibiotic and antifungal creams, inhalers, and patches and natural health products that are orally ingested, such as vitamins and minerals, traditional Chinese medicines, herbal products, probiotics, amino acids, homeopathic medicines and the like are also included. The purpose of the OMRP is to recover drugs that are expired or no longer needed and prevent them from being disposed of in the garbage or poured down the drain. Just take the medications in their original containers (plastic bottles or blister packs, but not outer packaging), remove any personal identification, such as your name, and stop by a participating pharmacy in your community. Not sure where to go? Visit healthsteward.ca for the pharmacy nearest you.
Sharps, including infusion sets, lancets, safety lancets, needles, pen, pen needles, safety pens, prefilled cartridges, prefilled syringes and syringes, must not be disposed of in regular garbage. Local pharmacies can provide you with a free secure sharps container to allow for safe collection of your sharps. These containers can then be returned to the pharmacy for safe disposal. Not sure where to go? Visit healthsteward.ca for the pharmacy nearest you.
Contact Information
Melissa Murray
Environmental Manager
Phone: 705-489-2379 Ext. 332
E-mail: mmurray@algonquinhighlands.ca
Documents
Medication Return Program FlyerSharps Return Program Flyer