Household hazardous waste (HHW), sometimes called
retail hazardous waste or "home generated special materials', is
post-consumer waste which qualifies as
hazardous waste when discarded. It includes household chemicals and other substances for which the owner no longer has a use, such as consumer products sold for
home care,
personal care,
automotive care,
pest control and other purposes. These products exhibit many of the same dangerous characteristics as fully regulated
hazardous waste due to their potential for
reactivity, ignitability,
corrosivity,
toxicity, or
persistence. Examples include
drain cleaners,
oil paint,
motor oil,
antifreeze,
fuel,
poisons,
pesticides,
herbicides and
rodenticides,
fluorescent lamps, lamp ballasts,
smoke detectors,
medical waste, some types of cleaning chemicals, and
consumer electronics (such as televisions,
computers, and
cell phones).