Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program - Acceptable items
Household hazardous waste doesn’t belong in your blue, green, or black carts, down the drain, or in the environment.
To protect our community and natural resources, you can drop-off acceptable residential household hazardous waste for free at designated locations across Calgary, including the three Eco Centres and seven fire station HHW depots.
If you're not sure where to put an item, you can also check What Goes Where.
Some items are only accepted at Eco Centres. HHW Depots located at designated fire stations do not accept all HHW materials.
Before your visit, please check the list of acceptable items and special instructions to ensure you're bringing materials that are accepted at the specific drop-off location you plan to visit.
Yes. We accept these HHW items
Special instructions for automotive products, chemicals and paint-related products:
- Maximum container size is 20 litres.
- Use the original container if you have it. If you can’t keep the original container, use a sturdy, leak-proof one. Make sure it’s clean to prevent any chemical reactions, and that it can safely hold the material without breaking down. Close it tightly and clearly label the contents.
- Never flush these materials down your toilet, sink or drain as they harm the environment and may damage the pipes in your home.
Automotive products
- Used motor oil: From vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.).
- *Cooking oil is not accepted.
- Used fuel: Gasoline, diesel, kerosene
- Automotive fluids: Brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, chain oil
- Antifreeze: Ethylene glycol only
- Oil filters
- Automotive batteries (lead-acid): Car batteries, motorcycle batteries, golf cart batteries, lawn mower batteries, wheelchairs (EV batteries not included)
- Any container with a hazard symbol: Including empty containers with flammable, poisonous, or other hazardous markings
Special instructions:
- If you plan to dispose of used motor oil and wish to keep your container, please visit an Eco Centre and use the designated tanks available there. This option is not available at HHW Depots located at designated fire stations.
Chemicals
Old and used chemicals, as well as empty containers of the items listed below, can be dropped off.
Chemicals in solid and liquid form
- Cleaning products: Includes all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, drain cleaners, furniture polishes, glass cleaners, bleach, ammonia and acetone
- Healthcare: Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol
- Gardening: Herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides
- Hot tub and swimming pool chemicals
- Glues and cements
Spray chemicals
- Personal care: Hairspray, mousse, sunscreen, deodorant, shaving cream/foam
- Cleaning: All-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, degreasers, furniture and upholstery cleaners
- Cooking oil spray, Pam cooking spray, whipped cream spray
- Air fresheners
- Bug sprays: Insecticides
Special instructions:
- Any aerosol/CO2 containers with a hazard symbol on it, including full, empty and expired containers.
- Do not puncture or crush aerosol/CO2 containers.
Other sprays
- Bear spray
- Pepper spray
Special instructions:
- Ensure valve is closed and secure.
Paint and related products
- All paint cans are accepted including dried out paint and empty cans
- Paint in cans: Alkyd, latex and oil-based paints
- Spray paint
- Lacquers, stains and varnishes
- Paint thinners, paint strippers and solvents
- Wood preservatives
- Nail polish and remover
- Artist paint
Household batteries
- Household batteries (weighing 5 kg or less), including:
- Single-use: AA, AAA, 9V, C, D – Alkaline, button cells, lithium primary, zinc carbon
- Rechargeable: Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium-ion, nickel zinc, small sealed lead acid
- Damaged household batteries: Damaged batteries may be swollen, corroded, leaking, or show burn marks. These hazardous batteries are accepted only at Eco Centres. When dropping them off, please hand them directly to a staff member and inform them of their condition.
*EV batteries and e-mobility batteries are not accepted in the HHW Program.
Special instructions:
- Protect the terminals before dropping off household batteries:
- Tape over the ends (positive and negative terminals) of each battery using non-conductive tape (e.g., clear tape, electrical, or duct tape); or
- Place each individual battery in a clear plastic bag (e.g., Ziploc bag, produce bag, or newspaper bag).
- If the battery cannot be removed from the device, please bring the entire item to an Eco Centre for disposal through the electronics recycling program.
Vapes and e-cigarettes
Fluorescent light tubes and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
- Fluorescent light tubes (Up to 4 feet in length)
- Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
Special instructions:
- You may bring up to 3 light tubes per visit to HHW Depots located at designated fire stations and up to 8 light tubes per visit to Eco Centres.
Mercury-containing items
- Thermometers
- Thermostat with manual dial
- Smoke detectors
Special instructions:
- Place the thermometer in a non-breakable sealed container. Clearly label the container as "Thermometer" or "Mercury Item".
- Package thermostat in a puncture-resistant, non-breakable, sealed plastic container. Clearly label the bottle "Thermostat" or "Mercury Item".
- Call 911 if a thermometer, thermostat or wall-mounted blood pressure cuff is broken and mercury is released.
Gas cylinders and pressurized containers
- Helium tanks (8.9 and 14.9 cubic feet)
- Propane tanks (Under 30 lbs)
- Fire extinguishers (Under 30 lbs)