Colorado Residents: Don’t Throw These Things In The Garbage

If it fits in the trash can, it must be ok to throw it away, right? Not in Colorado. In the Centennial State, dozens of everyday items are banned from landfills, like electronics, batteries, tires, and liquid waste. Ignoring these bans can lead to fines or citations.

From Grand Junction to Montrose, the following items should be left out of the trash and disposed of in other ways. Check out the list of Colorado’s banned items below, and learn more about hazardous household waste collection sites.

LOOK: It Is Illegal To Throw These Things Away In Colorado

There are 14 items that should never be thrown out with the trash in Colorado. Check out this helpful list of hazardous waste reminders that should never go in the garbage in Colorado. While some of these items can be turned in on local hazardous waste collection days, six items on this list can get you into big trouble if you are caught dumping them at a landfill.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

Protecting Land, Water, and Public Safety

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Over the years, Colorado has witnessed the damage heavy metals and toxins can do when they leak into groundwater. From mining to modern days, over time, substances like battery acid, mercury, and petroleum products can escape landfills and affect the water we drink and the air we breathe.

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment enforces Western Slope landfill bans as part of Colorado’s public-health goals, our fire reduction efforts, chemical exposure prevention, and keeping hazardous waste out of our water. When something is “illegal to throw away,” it means it’s banned from curbside trash as well as landfills.

Trash Laws Go Beyond the Landfill

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Colorado does a lot more than just police the trash cans. State statutes prohibit illegal dumping and littering. This means throwing glass bottles, nails, and containers of human waste onto highways from vehicles. Even tossing a lit cigarette from a car can result in a fine/traffic citation. Littering isn’t just bad manners; it’s a legal violation.

Safe Disposal Options in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose Counties

In Western Colorado, residents have options for disposing of hazardous household waste legally and close to home. Mesa County operates the Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Grand Junction for electronics, chemicals, and banned materials. Hazardous waste collection events serve the residents of Delta County, and Montrose County partners with regional programs for e-waste, batteries, and liquids.

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KEEP GOING: 20 Reasons You’ll Get A Parking Ticket in Grand Junction, Colorado

Here is a very long list of reasons you could get a parking ticket in Grand Junction, Colorado. If addressed quickly, a parking ticket can be a minor inconvenience. If forgotten, one mistake can turn into several more. Avoid these common mistakes and the annoying parking tickets that come with making them.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams