Hazardous household waste

Last updated February 23, 2023

Cans of paint, cleaning products, used oil, used batteries and dead lightbulbs, etc. Find out how to safely dispose of toxic, inflammable, corrosive or explosive products.

Hazardous household waste (HHW) must never be thrown away outdoors, in household waste, in the sewer, or put in  the recycling bin with recyclable materials. They are polluting and dangerous.

Drop-off sites

You can bring hazardous household waste (HHW) to 3 types of locations:

Travelling collections

These temporary drop-off sites are set up in the spring, summer and fall in several boroughs and neighbouring municipalities. All residents of the island of Montréal can go to one of our collection sites, based on the applicable schedules, to safely drop off HHW.

Ecocentres

Is there no travelling collection in your neighbourhood? Visit an ecocentre to drop off your HHW.

Other drop-off points

Would you like to get rid of items you no longer need? You can see lists of different drop-off points offered by partner organizations.

  • Acid/lead batteries: Garages
  • Asbestos: You must go to an engineered landfill site or contact a private decontamination company. Fees may apply.
  • Electronics: Association pour le recyclage des produits électroniques - see the map
  • Expired medications and cough syrup: Pharmacies 
  • Mercury bulbs: RecycFluo - see the map
  • Oil, oil aerosol, antigel, filters and empty containers: Soghu - see the map (in French)
  • Paint and paint aerosols: Éco-Peinture - see the map 
  • Propane bottles: Filling sites - see the map (in French)
  • Rechargeable and non rechargeable batteries: Appel à recycler - see the map (in French)

Some boroughs also collect used batteries and cell phones in certain locations.

Commonly used products considered as HHW

  • Cleaning and maintenance products
  • Vegetable oil
  • Fuel for fondue burners
  • Drain cleaner
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Hair dye
  • Nail polish remover
  • Hair spray
  • Medication
  • Toilet cleaner
  • Nail polish
  • Fabric softener
  • Stain remover and detergent
  • Bleach
  • Adhesives, tar, epoxy, paint remover
  • Aerosol sprays
  • Intact fluorescent tubes and energy-efficient light bulbs
  • Paint
  • Varnish
  • Lacquer
  • Bait, anti-rust product, aluminum paint, sealant, linseed oil
  • Car batteries (acid/lead)
  • Propane bottles
  • Used motor oil, empty containers and filters
  • Mercury (thermometers)
  • Pesticides and fertilizer
  • Pool chemicals
  • Terebenthine
  • Varsol, gasoline, fuel, thinner, alcohol, shellac

Labeling of hazardous products

Corrosive pictogram, flammable pictogram, toxic pictogram and explosive pictogram.

On hazardous products, there are usually one or more pictograms that indicate that the product is corrosive, flammable, toxic or explosive.

We have two objectives in collecting hazardous household waste: 

  • To protect the environment against potential sources of contamination.
  • To give you an alternative to storing products in your home that could potentially be dangerous to your health.

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