Waste and Hazardous Waste Disposal Question

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by swmarc

We are still getting used to all the quirks about living here in Pittsburgh vs. Washington State and currently our hurdle is trash. The sellers of the house we bought left us some crappy furniture and boxes (ya) and about 30 one gallon cans of paint (double ya!). Anyway, who can tell us how we dispose of this stuff? In Washington you take it to the dump but here I see people putting couches out on the street next to their trash bags for what I assume is garbage pick-up. As for the paint cans we stopped by home depot to ask about paint disposal and the lady told me she just "sells paint" and doesn't know how you get rid of it.

Thanks in advance!

Call your township to find out if there are specific days for putting out large items. Where I live, I can put out furniture, appliances, etc. any collection day.

If the paint gallons are mostly full, take them to Construction Junction, like curtis recommended. It's a building materials recycling center. People will buy that paint to paint their house. If the paint cans are almost empty, just open them up and set them outside until they dry up. Once the paint is completely dry in the can, you can just toss it into the garbage.

[Hopes]

I did a google search.

Allegheny County is having a household chemicals collection at North Park swimming pool parking lot on May 5th.

Allegheny County -- Recycling & Waste Collection

[Scott2187]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Call your township to find out if there are specific days for putting out large items. Where I live, I can put out furniture, appliances, etc. any collection day.

If the paint gallons are mostly full, take them to Construction Junction, like curtis recommended. It's a building materials recycling center. People will buy that paint to paint their house. If the paint cans are almost empty, just open them up and set them outside until they dry up. Once the paint is completely dry in the can, you can just toss it into the garbage.

What township do you live in??? I read the policies in the city of Pittsburgh and it says you are permitted 2 'bulk' items each pick-up day, but they must be under 35lbs each.

For the paint, Construction Junction is the best. I always keep a small amount of the paints I use just for touch-ups and color matching, but leaving gallons and gallons of it behind is just rediculous.

Correction: I just read the guidelines again and it seems I CAN put appliances out on the curb on any pickup day. Life just got simpler since I have an old furnace that wasn't operational. Now I don't have to try and haul it to a scrap yard somewhere. Here's the guideline link: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/pw/...guidelines.pdf

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Scott2187

What township do you live in??? I read the policies in the city of Pittsburgh and it says you are permitted 2 'bulk' items each pick-up day, but they must be under 35lbs each.

Hampton. Any weight. One bulk item per week.

Unlimited for furniture and appliances.

No spas, pianos or large screen televisions though.

[Love2Golf09]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

How pathetic. Please don't listen to this loser. You don't dump paint down the storm drain. You drop it off at Construction Junction. There are other paint drop off places, but that is the only one I know off hand. Someone can use the paint, instead of putting in the water supply as love2golf suggests. Wow, what a sad state. Oh well yinzers all around!

I was being facetious. You need to Occupy a sense of humor.

[Hopes]

Speaking of paint in the drain, I've always wondered about that. Paint is considered too hazardous to throw in the trash but we do put paint down our drains. When I paint, I rinse my brushes and trays in the sink. Same with cleaning products. We're not supposed to throw them away in the trash but they go down our drains everytime we clean the bathrooms or kitchens.

[swmarc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Speaking of paint in the drain, I've always wondered about that. Paint is considered too hazardous to throw in the trash but we do put paint down our drains. When I paint, I rinse my brushes and trays in the sink. Same with cleaning products. We're not supposed to throw them away in the trash but they go down our drains everytime we clean the bathrooms or kitchens.

Sometimes the solution to polution is dilution.

[hinsey86]

Craigslist is a great place to get rid of stuff too. They have a free section. One man's trash.....

[mary.f]

Originally Posted by swmarc

Seriously? Not happening dude, I prefer not to help destroy the environment I live in.

We already donated what we could the rest is in too poor of a condition.

its good to care for the environment we live in to ensure good health and preventing more sickness problems as well. card board recycling and plastic recycling companies are available for this purpose as well.