The Complete Guide to Hazardous Waste Disposal in Detroit (2025 Edition) | HazWash™
Why Hazardous Waste Disposal Matters
Picture this: you open your garage and see a cracked chlorine container leaking across the floor. The fumes sting your eyes. Do you throw it in the trash? Pour it down the drain? Call someone?
Costly Mistake Alert
- Pouring chemicals down drains → RCRA violations
- Batteries/solvents in dumpsters → fires + civil liability
- No documentation → fines up to $25,000+/day
Compliance protects your property, people, and wallet.
Here’s the truth: hazardous waste is never “just trash.” From paint thinners and old gas cans to pesticides and lithium batteries, these materials are regulated under federal and state law. Mishandling them can cause fires, poison the environment, or land you with $25,000+ per day in EPA fines.
The good news: you don’t always need a hazmat company. Detroit-area counties run free Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) programs for small residential amounts. But when you’re dealing with bulk quantities, businesses, rental properties, or spills, the law requires certified hazmat disposal.
👉 Already dealing with a leak or spill? Call HazWash™ at 1-248-985-8774 for 24/7 certified hazmat response in Metro Detroit.
🧾 Costly Mistake Alert
Pouring old paint thinner into a sewer drain or tossing batteries into a dumpster can trigger RCRA violations, civil lawsuits, and even criminal charges.
The 9 DOT Hazard Classes (and Why They Matter)
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) divides hazardous materials into nine hazard classes. For businesses, these dictate how to package, label, and transport waste. For homeowners, they’re a guide to what belongs at HHW drop-offs instead of the curb.
1 Explosives
Fireworks, ammo
2 Gases
Propane, aerosols
3 Flammable Liquids
Gasoline, solvents
4 Flammable Solids/Reactives
Magnesium, phosphorus
5 Oxidizers/Peroxides
Pool chlorine, H2O2
6 Toxic/Infectious
Pesticides, sharps
7 Radioactive
Detectors, isotopes
8 Corrosives
Acids, drain cleaners
9 Miscellaneous
Lithium batteries, asbestos
🔒 Compliance Advantage
HazWash™ crews identify, segregate, and package hazardous waste into the correct DOT class — ensuring safe transport and protecting you from fines.
Packaging, Labeling & UN Codes
Hazardous waste disposal isn’t about tossing things into trash bags. It’s about following DOT/EPA packaging and labeling laws.
📦 Packaging & UN Codes — Quick Guide
- UN-rated drums (15/30/55 gal)forsolids/liquids; overpacks for leakers
- Sharps → rigid puncture-proof containers
- Absorbents to solidify liquidsbeforetransport
- Labels: correct DOT diamond + propershippingname + generator info
UN1993 —
Flammableliquids,N.O.S.
UN1789 —
Hydrochloric acid
UN2814 —
Infectioussubstances (human)
UN3291 —
Regulatedmedicalwaste
Shipping a leaking can in a trash bag is aDOTviolation — fines can reach $80,000/per incident.
Manifests & Documentation
The Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest is the legal chain of custody for regulated waste. It:
📄 The Uniform Manifest = Chain of Custody
- Tracks generator → transporter → TSDF
- Lists weights, DOT classes, UN codes
- Transfers liability upon acceptance
No signed manifest? You remain liable even if someone “hauled it away.”
🔒 Compliance Advantage
HazWash™ provides signed manifests, disposal receipts, and compliance logs — proof you’re protected from lawsuits, fines, and regulatory audits.
Free Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
🏠 Free HHW — For Residents, Not Businesses
- Wayne, Oakland, Macomb → regular HHW events
- Typical limits: 10–20 gal combined liquids
- Accepted: paints, pesticides, cleaners, batteries, oil
Always call to confirm accepted items and limits.
💡 Pro Tip
Always call your county’s HHW program to confirm accepted materials.
Documentation provided upon request and attached to your service record.
When to Call a Hazmat Company
🔎 When to Call a Licensed Hazmat Team
- Exceeds HHW limits or not eligible (business/landlord)
- Leaking, bulging, unknown, or incompatible chemicals
- Medical/infectious waste, industrial chemicals, mixed streams
- Spills/emergencies or need for manifests & documentation
Spills & Emergency Response in Homes
🚨 Spill at Home? Follow These Steps
- Evacuate people/pets. Ventilate if safe.
- Do not touch, mix, or move containers.
- Keep ignition sources off (no sparks, no smoking).
- Call HazWash™ for certified response.
Never hose or wash into drains — that’s a RCRA violation.
🧾 Costly Mistake Alert
- Washing chemicals down drains or storm sewers is a RCRA violation →with fines of $25,000+ per day.
Compliance protects your property, people, andwallet.
FAQ: Hazardous Waste Disposal in Detroit
A: Flammables, corrosives, toxics, pesticides, paints, medical waste, and other regulated materials.
A: No. Doing so risks fires, injuries, and six-figure EPA fines.
A: Yes, counties offer HHW programs for small quantities.
A: No. Businesses must use licensed hazmat companies.
A: Residential HHW is free. Commercial disposal starts at $500–$2,500+, depending on waste type and volume.
A: HazWash™ provides manifests, disposal receipts, and compliance logs.
Certified, discreet hazardous waste disposal — compliant from pickup to manifest.