6 Things you Legally Can Not Throw away in Yakima

I've lost count of the times I've asked myself, "can I toss this in the trash?" Luckily in today's world, we have google, bing, and ask Jeeves, to see if they can be thrown away; not sure those other two still exist. However, some things still get past us.

Purley out of curiosity we decided to do a little bit of a deep dive and we were surprised to see some of the stuff you're not supposed to put in the trash, so us being us we had to make a list and pass it on the rest of the Yakima Valley.

6.) Electronics

This seems like a pretty broad statement, so we'll break it down, anything that runs off of a battery. That's right, phones, TVs, calculators, laptops, even a Gameboy Advance (Throwback we know.) Basically, any Electronics you might wanna throw out is against the law unless you're recycling them or using an Eco ATM that you might have seen in stores, if you use one of these you might actually get some cash back.

5.) Paint

The amount of times we've seen paint cans stacked up at the dump is next-level crazy, but it's true you can't toss paint or containers of paint in the trash. If you plan on getting rid of it you have to let the paint dry out before recycling it somewhere that handles scrap metal. The paint can be poisonous or harmful to the environment. Meaning it could kill animals if not disposed of correctly or ruin the soil.

4.) Perscription Drugs

That's right, prescription drugs can not be disposed of in the trash or down the drain. The medication itself can leech onto the water supply leaving them tainted or making aquatic life extremely sick. Instead of disposing of them in the trash where someone may find them, it's suggested that you take them to a drug store that disposes of used medications.

3.) Gasoline Canisters

Some people have probably thrown out old gas containers they've kept in their sheds or come across while helping clean out someone's house. The gasoline itself can be spilled from the can contaminate, destroy or start a fire. To be safe contact a fire department or auto shop that may recycle them for you.

2.) Batteries

Batteries contain toxic chemicals and other harmful substances to both you, animals, and the earth. To discard old batteries such as small ones you would use for remote control or a toy. You'll want to recycle these things at a nearby recycling center.

1.) Fireworks

This should be no shocker, fireworks do not belong in the trash any under circumstances. Not only could they still be flammable after use and leave leftover toxic residue, but they could also even have a dud left over that ends up going off due to heat in the trash. If you use fireworks you have to know how to dispose of them. Soak them overnight in a bucket, then you have to wrap them in the plastic of some form and make sure they can't get any kind of oxygen before disposing of them. If you're curious about what other methods there are we suggest contacting a local fire department.