One of the top asked questions when a customer is scheduling a dumpster is ‘what can go inside the dumpster’? Instead of listing all the things that can go in our dumpsters, it’s easier to let you know what CAN’T. We’ve highlighted the top 5 waste products that can’t go into our dumpsters and gathered the proper ways that you can dispose of these items.
What Can’t Go In Our Dumpsters:
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- Tires
- Chemical Drums
- Chemicals
- Batteries
- Appliances
Tires
Problem: Tires are not biodegradable and take up valuable space in landfills. Illegally disposed tires in nature will release toxins and poison the environment. If tires were disposed of in landfills, they would take up too much space and hinder our ability to rid ourselves of normal waste. Tires can take hundreds of thousands of years to decompose.
Solution: Tires that are recycled not only help landfills, but there are so many ways tires can be repurposed.
- Asphalt
- Rubber mulch
- Playground surfaces
- Fun home projects
- Tire swing
- Outdoor ottomans
Donate Locally:
Hammond, IN – Walmart Tire and Lube Express
Address: 1828 165th St, Hammond, IN 46320
Phone: (219) 989-0258
Waste Drums
Problem: Waste drums that contain or did hold hazardous chemicals, must receive special care when being disposed of. There is a difference between containers that have held hazardous waste and containers still containing hazardous materials. Empty drums must follow the RCRA standards for cleaning of hazardous materials containers.
Solution: In attempt to reduce the waste going into landfills and take the guest work out of doing so, there are many locations that you can bring your waste drums to dispose of responsibly.
Donate Locally:
You can call Waste Management to find a Local Waste Disposal Service
Chemicals
Problem: Industrial chemical waste, flammable fluids, and old paint waste all require special removal and if not done properly, they can cause hazardous conditions for our environment. It is important to know how to safely and responsibly the chemicals you are working with.
Solution:
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- Use your household chemicals in their entirety and then recycle during your normal collection day
- Most liquid products can be diluted and poured down the drain
- Solid cleaning products can be disposed of the trash
Donate Locally:
Lake County: Services | Lake County Solid Waste Management (lcswmd.com)
Porter County: Household Hazardous Waste Collection – Porter County Recycling & Waste Reduction
Batteries
Problem: Batteries can be either one-time use or rechargeable/ reusable, but the majority of all batteries contain harmful heavy metals like lead, mercury, lithium and more. These elements are all extremely hazardous to the environment and human health and can easily penetrate the ground soil and water supplies when placed in a landfill.
Solution:
Household batteries can be recycled but not curbside during your normal collection day. We’ve listed options available to both Lake and Porter County residents. Larger batteries can be taken to AutoZone for recycling- check your local store before going.
Another way to reduce battery waste, is to make the switch to rechargeable/ reusable batteries to avoid thinking about the correct way to dispose of your household batteries.
Donate Locally:
Porter County: Household Batteries – Porter County Recycling & Waste Reduction
Lake County: Battery Recycling – District Services | Lake County Solid Waste Management (lcswmd.com)
Appliances
Problem: In order to dispose of appliances correctly, they must be disassembled to remove hazardous components while salvaging reusable parts. With the increase rate at which appliances are being discarded, the need for appropriate disposal has also increased. If disposed of incorrectly, they can become environmentally harmful and even poison our ecosystems.
Solution:
Old or unwanted appliances can be recycled, sold or donated. Luckily there are plenty of options sprinkled throughout both Lake and Porter Counties to make it convenient to dispose of appliances responsibly. If you are purchasing new appliances, check with the company that you bought from if they will take your old appliances upon delivery.
Donate Locally:
Porter County: Electronics – Porter County Recycling & Waste Reduction
Lake County: Services | Lake County Solid Waste Management (lcswmd.com)
**NIPSCO will pay you for recycling your working appliances. To learn more visit: Appliance Recycling – NIPSCO
About Dumpster Panda
Founded in 2019, Dumpster Panda was created through an overwhelming need for mini residential friendly dumpsters in Northwest Indiana. Our dumpsters make your residential and commercial projects that much easier with a simple scheduling process and fast delivery.
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