De-Cluttering Priority: Hazardous Waste

Fluorescent lights, medicines, solvents:
among the many things that can hurt us.

Over the years I’ve replaced our spent fluorescent tube lights in the kitchen, bathrooms, and garage, but I've never got round to disposing of them properly. They've been accumulating by the side of the house.

Our unused Epipens, inhalers, and expired medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, had filled two boxes in the garage. These are other items that by law should not be thrown into the trash.

I made an appointment yesterday to drop off all the above, as well as old paint, pesticides, and other chemicals at the San Mateo County hazardous waste facility. They took everything except the prescription pills which they said I could deposit in receptacles at CVS or Walgreens.

It was a good feeling to clear these materials from the house. De-cluttering is a perennial New Year’s resolution, and taking a small action every month, rather than making it a huge project, may be the best strategy for this procrastinator.