Household Hazardous Waste
Residential Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off
HHW can be dropped off at the Material Recovery Centre every Wednesday, beginning May 7, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
What is Household Hazardous Waste?
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) materials are the discarded, unused or leftover portion of household products containing chemicals that can cause illness or death to people, plants and animals. They can also negatively impact soil and nearby water sources. These products are often labelled CAUTION, WARNING, CORROSIVE, EXPLOSIVE, FLAMMABLE, POISONOUS or TOXIC. Common HHW includes aerosols, propane cylinders, light bulbs, yard chemicals and more. These and many other types of hazardous materials require safe handling and should not be put in your garbage or recycling containers, dumped on the ground or poured down the drain.
Residential Disposal
Starting May 7, 2025, HHW will be accepted every Wednesday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Material Recovery Centre, located at 42 Valley Road. The final HHW Drop-Off Day of the season will take place Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
Reminders:
- The program is open to residents with household products only – no commercial loads will be accepted.
- Containers used for transporting HHW may not be returned to participants and those used for transporting gasoline will NOT be returned.
- Please ensure all containers are safely sealed and contents are clearly marked.
- To avoid potentially long line-ups and wait times, ask the Saskatoon Waste Wizard to find other means of recycling and safe disposal.
Other options for disposal of common HHW material:
Paint, batteries and used oil typically account for 60% of the HHW material dropped off. Below are additional disposal options for these common materials that are open year-round:
- Household paint is only accepted on Wednesdays at the MRC (beginning May 7, 2025) but can be dropped off at all SARCAN depot locations
- Batteries (household and automotive) and electronics can be dropped off at the MRC 7 days a week and at all SARCAN depot locations
- Used oil and filters, antifreeze, and containers can be dropped off at the MRC 7 days a week
Acceptable items
- Acid - battery acid, , sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid
- Aerosols - insect repellant, , furniture cleaner, bear spray
- Cleaners - products labelled caution, warning, corrosive, explosive, flammable, poisonous or toxic.
- Cylinders (non-refillable) – propane (camp cylinders (1 lb), helium, oxygen, acetylene, fire extinguishers, MAP gas, butane, carbon dioxide. Maximum container size is 5kg
- Corrosives - engine degreaser, ammonia, battery acid, sulfuric acid, grout cleaner, masonry cleaner, rust remover, with a maximum container size of 10 L
- Flammable Liquids (incl fuels) – gasoline (no diesel), acetone, BBQ lighter fluid, camping or fondue fuel, flammable degreasers, flammable fuel treatment and additives, flammable liquid adhesives, flammable lubricants, kerosene, methanol, methyl hydrate, mineral spirits, paint stripper and thinners, paint and varnish removers, turpentine, varsol, other flammable solvents. Maximum container size is 10 litres (25 litres for gasoline only).
- Light Bulbs & Ballasts - fluorescent light ballasts (with or without PCBs), light bulbs
- Mercury - mercury, mercury thermometers
- Oxidizing Chemicals - chlorine, bleach, pool chemicals, fertilizer, hydrogen peroxide
- Pesticides - pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, including the word domestic, poison symbol, has a Pest Control Product number
- Solvents - varsol, paint thinner, naphtha, acetone, toluene, xylene, alcohol, benzene
- Toxics – Automotive additives, furniture stripper, tar and bug remover with a maximum container size 10 L
Unacceptable items
Please note that the following materials are not currently accepted as part of any City of Saskatoon programming. Please contact private waste disposal contractors for safe disposal options of the following materials. Residents will be responsible for any fees incurred for cost of disposal.
- Asbestos and asbestos-containing materials - contact Loraas Landfill at 306-242-8909
- Biologically hazardous materials including sharps, needles and items contaminated with human fluids - see Needle Safe brochure or contact Needle Safe Saskatoon Information Line at 306-655-4444; operators of Medical or Business Offices please contact Biomed Recovery and Disposal Ltd. at 306-253-4476
- Construction, renovation, and demolition waste - tiles, shingles, insulation, light fixtures (ballasts and light tubes will be accepted if removed from fixtures).
- Class 1 (Explosives) - including ammunition, fireworks, flares, guns, gun powder and related items - contact Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300.
- Class 7 (Radioactive) - including ionization chamber-type smoke detectors - contact Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council at 306-931-3242.
- Electric bicycle batteries - E-bike batteries are not accepted in our program with Call2Recycle. Please visit recycleyourbatteries.ca to find a location in Saskatoon for drop-off.
- Large/heavy containers - 70L and 205L drums will not be accepted; liquid containers must be 10L capacity or less -
- Non-sealed containers - waste must be properly contained, and containers must be sealed.
- Pharmaceuticals - prescription drugs, medicines (no needles, sharps or biological waste)
- Railway or landscaping ties - please contact private waste disposal contractors for safe disposal options.
- Unlabeled containers - containers must be clearly marked to identify the contents.
Don't know where it goes? Ask the Wizard!