Household Special Waste

The following household special waste items CANNOT be processed at the HSW depot:

• Household garbage, recycling, cardboard
• Oil tanks are not accepted at the HSW. Oil tanks should be drained by a professional, and the oil brought to the HSW or a participating UOMA location. For empty oil tanks, contact a professional or a local scrapyard for recycling options. The Province of Nova Scotia recommends speaking with your oil tank installer to see if they will take back your old tank when it is replaced. See https://novascotia.ca/lae/fuelsafety/petroleum-domestic/ for further information.
• Appliances and electronics (visit Recycle My Electronics for drop-off locations)
• Refrigerant containing appliances (refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner, water cooler, or dehumidifier; Request removal of refrigerants)
• Medical waste and sharps (sharps can be disposed of in sharps containers and returned to local pharmacies)
• PCB containing materials/ballasts, radioactive waste, asbestos waste (contact Nova Scotia Department of Environment)
• Gas cylinders with unknown contents (contact manufacturer/supplier or Nova Scotia Department of Environment)
• Explosive waste (ammunition, fireworks, flares; contact HRP or RCMP for ammunition, contact supplier for flare disposal)
• Construction and demolition materials (take material to Halifax C&D)

The following household special waste items can be processed at the HSW depot:

• Batteries
  • Lithium batteries pose safety risks such as overheating and fires; therefore, it is important to properly dispose of them. Do NOT place batteries in your recycling bag. Lithium batteries under 5kg are accepted at the Household Special Waste depots. For larger lithium batteries and other recycling locations visit RecycleYourBatteries.
• Vape batteries (cartridges/tanks must be removed), single use all in one vape pens/sticks/devices
• Leftover paint, paint aerosols, empty paint cans and empty paint aerosols
  • Brushes, and rollers should go in your regular garbage
• Corrosive cleaners
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Gasoline
  • Please note: due to safety reasons jerry cans used to transport gasoline cannot be decanted at mobile events, and will not be returned to you. If you have gasoline in a jerry can and would like the jerry can back, the HSW Depot at 20 Horseshoe Lake Drive can accommodate.
• Used motor oil
• Solvents and thinners
• Medications (Sharps are NOT accepted at HSW)
• Aerosol cans containing hazardous substances
• BBQ propane tanks (or return to tank exchange)
• Small propane and butane cylinders (i.e. for camp stoves and propane torches)
• Lightbulbs
• Residential fire extinguishers (empty fire extinguishers up to 5 lb may be placed in the garbage)
• Unused or leftover residential concrete and cement mix powder
• Products containing mercury
  • thermostats
  • household thermometers
  • button cell batteries