We have come a long way as a society in terms of respecting the environment. Instead of dumping recyclable items in the garbage bin we now have weekly recycling pick-up to go along with the normal garbage pick-up. Cities worldwide have created more bike lanes to promote biking rather than driving. Public transportation options keep going up and up in most major cities.

We also no longer dump oil or old paint down the drain but instead wait for the community's hazardous waste disposal day to let the experts take care of any hazardous waste materials we need to get rid of, which is done in an environmentally friendly way. If you're unsure of when collection days for hazardous waste are in your area you can always call your local government waste collection agency to find out.

They'll be able to tell you what days they collect hazardous waste materials, what time you can drop them off, and where to go, just in case you've never been there before. They will also let you know what types of hazardous materials you can bring in and the procedure to do so. When it comes to disposing of hazardous waste materials you're going to want to make sure that they're in containers that are leak proof, with a tight fitting lid, and that the contents are clearly labeled.

Examples of hazardous waste materials that you can drop off include contact cement, drain cleaners, used engine oil, antifreeze, pool chemicals, paint thinners, water filtration remnants, lawn herbicides, septic tank chemicals, rat poison, toilet bowl cleaners, carpet treatment chemicals, windshield cleaners, hair spray, furniture cleaners, and oil fuel.

This list isn't official though so make sure to check with the people running the hazardous waste disposal program what you can and cannot bring to them. Some cities allow for the collection of paint as a part of their hazardous waste collection days while others don't and have specific paint collection and recycling programs set up.

Hazardous waste collection days are great for individuals and businesses because you never know what hazardous waste products you have piled up and the ability to get rid of them in an environmentally friendly manner is a boon for you and the planet. Many companies have their own methods of disposing hazardous waste materials but some still take advantage of hazardous waste collection days because it's good for the environment. Take a look around your home to see if you have used any engine or windshield wiper fluid sitting around that you don't use that you can get rid of.