The Orange Drop Program provides Ontario residents with a free, safe and easy way to dispose of household products that require special handling.
Currently, these five materials are included:
- pressurized cylinders that held propane, helium, oxygen or other gases
- vehicle engine antifreeze and coolant (and their containers)
- empty lubricating oil containers
- oil filters
- single use batteries (you can also bring these to the REAL Deal)
Why not use HHW depots? Some products can also be returned to municipal household hazardous waste depots. But the participating retailers accepting these materials are available year round.
Where do I find the retailers? Go to the Orange Drop site and click on “Find a Drop Site”. Enter your postal code and choose the material you want to dispose of. The system will pull up a list of depots or retailers. Click on each to get a map and hours.
Warning re HHW Depots. Note that the system will pull up municipal depots as well, for which you may not eligible. So please check before making the trip! For example, entering a Rideau Lakes postal code and the material oil filter will pull up Carleton Place Depot, which is only open to residents of certain municipalities,and Rideau Lakes isn’t one of them.
What About Paints and Solvents? The Orange Drop program used to direct residents to locations that accept paints and solvents. There are still retailers in Smiths Falls and Perth that will take these materials, but you must go to the Product Care website, which covers all of Canada, and use your postal code to find the retailers. Use the locator.
They are very specific about acceptable and non-acceptable products, so check the list carefully!
Make it a Habit. “Orange Drop is designed to raise awareness about what is considered a hazardous or special waste and to encourage Ontarians to make returning these items part of their regular recycling routine,” said Lyle Clarke, Vice President, Operations, at Stewardship Ontario.
