Household Hazardous Waste - Permanent HHW Facility

The Denver Permanent HHW Facility, managed by Curbside, includes a popular Drop & Swap element. Besides the opportunity to properly dispose of their own unneeded HHW, residents can also shop for free consumer products in good condition that were dropped off by others.

Last year, participants reused more than 40 tons of materials that would have otherwise been destroyed. The program is successful in part due to the creative use of internet advertising and press coverage for community outreach. For example, for 2006, the program was called the “Best Free Resource” in Denver by Westword, a publication of Village Voice Media, 2006.

With such success there can be the occasional shortage of products to meet demand. That is why Curbside operations in other areas now ship products in good condition to the Denver facility.

According to Mike Gayer, Vice President, Operations, “managing this effort takes time and skills beyond those required for normal HHW facility operations. We are fortunate to have personnel who are dedicated to providing quality service to all our Drop & Swap customers.”

Even though the cost of managing the effort can exceed the disposal savings, the program has become an integral part of Denver’s HHW Management Program.