The dangers in rubbish: Part 2/4

Where to dispose of basement finds like paints, varnishes, and pesticides?

When cleaning the basement, storage room, or elsewhere in the household, it is not uncommon to find half-full buckets and cans of paint, varnish, and pesticides that are no longer needed. Most of these items are harmful to our health and the environment. As a rule of thumb: anything marked with a hazardous materials symbol belongs in hazardous waste collection. There, professionals can determine the proper disposal of these items.

• If paints containing harmful chemicals reach the environment, they can pollute soil and water and harm animals and plants.
• Some paints contain substances that are harmful to health and can cause reactions if inhaled or if they come into contact with skin.
• Some paints are flammable and, if disposed of improperly, can cause fires, posing a serious risk to both human safety and the environment.

What can go in the residual waste bin and what cannot?

Acrylic and oil-based paints as well as varnishes cannot be disposed of with residual waste because they contain harmful chemicals and possibly heavy metals. Containers with these still-liquid contents should be taken to hazardous waste collection points. The FES recycling centers in the North (Kalbach) and West (Höchst) have permanent special waste collection points. Here too, hazardous and special wastes can be handed in for proper disposal during opening hours.

Water-based paints such as dispersion paints, chalk paints, and natural paints do not contain substances classified as harmful chemicals and can generally be disposed of with residual waste. If they are not completely dried, they should still be taken to hazardous waste collection. Only fully dried paints belong in the residual waste bin.

Tip: Leaving paint buckets open, especially in summer, allows the leftover paint to dry quickly, saving a trip to the hazardous waste collection.

If unsure which category the paint falls into, check the bucket or can. Items marked with the Blue Angel or EU Ecolabel are particularly environmentally friendly. If in doubt, professionals at hazardous waste collection points can help.

What to do with old pesticides?

Most pesticides approved in Germany are classified as hazardous substances under chemical law. If they are no longer usable due to expiration, approval ending, or overstock, they should be disposed of properly. This can also be done at the aforementioned recycling centers or via the mobile hazardous waste collection service, which visits different districts on fixed dates.

Conclusion: Special waste, regardless of type, must not be poured down sinks or toilets or disposed of with household waste. There are several reasons for this:

Explosive or toxic substances and vapors could form in the sewage system, or chemicals might not be fully broken down in treatment plants and thus enter the environment. In household waste, there is a risk to the lives and safety of employees, as well as to machinery and buildings.

Mobile hazardous waste collection dates at a glance: https://www.fes-frankfurt.de/services/schadstoffsammlung