Recycling Common Household Items

Do you have old batteries, prescription pills, hazardous household materials and other STUFF taking up space in your home because you aren’t sure how to dispose of them in a responsible manner? We hope to clear up some of those questions with this informative cheat sheet. Keep in mind that the information listed here is not all-encompassing, and we are just touching base on a few of the common unwanted items.

If you have a question about a particular item that is not listed here, visit SWACO’s information center on their website, http://www.swaco.org. SWACO has an entire search system devoted to recycling unwanted items.

Prescription Pills – Please do not flush or throw prescription pills in your household trash as they can be harmful to the water supply and/or people and animals. Here are a few options for getting rid of those extra or expired pills.

1. Visit http://rxdrugdropbox.org/ and find a location near you.
2. The lobby at the Dublin Justice Center holds an Rx Drug Dropbox. Medications must be in a container. No syringes, inhalers, or liquids are accepted.
3. The local Kroger pharmacies will take back medications typically twice a year. Information will be posted in the store several weeks prior to the drop off event. Check with other pharmacies for similar events.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – SWACO provides free HHW disposal services for all Franklin County residents. SWACO contracts Environmental Enterprises Incorporated (EEI) to offer free residential recycling for HHW. Check the website for hours at the HHW Center. Residents can bring their old lawn chemicals, oil based paint, paints strippers, acids, insecticides, etc. for recycling and/or environmentally safe disposal.

Batteries/Lightbulbs and More – Batteries Plus Bulbs, located at 4514 Cemetery Road, recycles most common batteries and light bulbs in addition to electronics like cell phones, laptops, etc.

Clothes and Books – Clothes and books are always wanted items for charities, so consider using the local drop off boxes in shopping plazas located throughout Hilliard. There are several locations where you can take your unwanted clothes and books.

• BetterWorldBooks – There are multiple locations on Hilliard Rome Road. Look in the Meijer or Bed, Bath and Beyond parking lots.
• Goodwill – The new location at 5526 Renner Road accepts donations via a covered drop-off donation area.
• AMVETS – There is a manned drop off at the Kroger on Cemetery Road.
• Kiducation – Three boxes are located in the Giant Eagle plaza on Hilliard Rome Road.
• National Children’s Cancer Society – Boxes are located at Roberts Road behind the Kroger and also in the Flyer’s plaza.
• A few other area boxes include PlanetAid and CDRF.

Yard Waste – If you live in the City of Hilliard limits, visit http://hilliardohio.gov/live/city-services/ for information. If you reside out of City of Hilliard, please check with your community.

General Recyclables (glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, plastics, etc.) – If you live in the City of Hilliard, you already know the City has a great recycling program. Last year, residents received the new blue recycling cans, and Tuesday is the weekly pickup day. However, if you have a need to recycle more often than once a week, or if you have a large amount to be recycled, there are SWACO sponsored recycling bins behind the Kroger store on Hilliard Rome Road. Please make sure to only put in acceptable items. The area behind Kroger also has newspaper and magazine recycling as well as a NCCS clothing bin.