BANNED WASTES

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have determined that certain wastes are not to go to the Montezuma County Landfill. In addition, the county has added some items not addressed by either EPA or CDPHE to the banned list. The reason for these bans is to reduce potential health or environmental hazards.

• Antifreeze (see Liquid Waste below)
• Asbestos (friable only). The landfill is permitted to dispose of non-friable asbestos. (Refer to Special Wastes.)
• Automobile batteries (lead-acid)
• Biomedical or biohazardous (households may have some exceptions, call the landfill to determine if an exception is allowed.) (Veterinarians, dental and doctor clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and similar places may have the ability to treat their waste to make it non-infectious. However approval from the county is still required to dispose of such treated or non-infectious waste.).
• Electronic Wastes (e-waste): computers, computer accessories, items with computer chips (eg cell phones) and television monitors. Beginning 1 January 2017, everyone (commercial, industrial, institutional, residents) must recycle their e-waste. E-waste is accepted during regular business hours The material is sent to a vendor that meets all requirements for ISO 14001, R2, and e-steward third party audit certifications. The material won’t be sent to third world countries or improperly handled.
• Hot Ashes (Burn barrels that have been “out” for up to fourteen (14) days may still contain hot embers which can cause fires.)
• Industrial process waste not pre-approved by the county, and in some instances, CDPHE (Requires content/chemical documentation usually found in MSDS as well as a laboratory analysis. Refer to Special Wastes for more detailed information.)
• Liquid waste or waste containing free-liquids (particularly waste oil, paint, septage, contaminated water or liquids) [Free Liquids is determined by the EPA Test Method 9095 (Paint Filter) which places the material in a paint filter and waits for five (5) minutes. If no liquid comes out of the filter after five minutes then the material is considered to have no free liquids.]
• Mercury containing materials, such as fluorescent light bulbs and e-waste (beginning in 2013 from all sources)
• Paints (see Liquid Waste above)
• PCBs (polychlorinated biphenols)
• Potential hazardous materials and waste (non-household) in large volumes greater than 5 gallons (or equivalent size) as defined by the Hazardous Waste Commission pursuant to 25-15-302 C.R.S. and 40 CFR Part 261
• Radioactive wastes
• Sludges, septic tank pumpings, or chemical toilet wastes not approved by county and CDPHE (Requires documentation as a special waste)
• Tires from cars and pickups which are residentially generated and are whole. Similar size tires from commercial, industrial or institutional sources are not banned from landfilling by state statute but the county has determined that all tires, regardless of size are diverted to a tire storage area for processing to either use on site for projects or to send off site for recycling and/or reuse in accordance with current state statutes and regulations
• Unlabeled 55 gallon drums (not empty)
• Used oil (see Liquid Waste above)
• Volatile and flammable waste

If you have questions about an item, call and ask first.

Effective 1 January 2017.,