Salt Lake County outlines household hazardous-waste services at new Sandy facility

Salt Lake County Health Department staff on July 29 told the Sandy City Council about a newly opened household hazardous-waste collection center they operate at 8805 South 700 West in Sandy and described what the public can and cannot drop off.

The presentation emphasized that the county facility accepts flammable, reactive and otherwise hazardous household items — including paints, oil, pesticides, cleaners and rechargeable lithium batteries — and that some items are not considered household hazardous waste (HHW) and may be placed in the trash if rendered inert (for example dried latex paint). Jose Carrion, facility manager, said the Sandy HHW site opened in July 2024 and is part of the Salt Lake County Health Department’s Water Quality and Hazardous Waste unit.

The Sandy facility supplements two other HHW collection locations countywide; the presenters said the three-site system helps keep hazardous items out of landfills and reduces fire risk in refuse trucks. Carrion described a “reuse shed” system where usable, sealed items (for example paints and cleaners) are made available to the public at no charge, which helps lower disposal costs and get usable products back into the community.

County staff described several operational details: the Sandy center is indoors, open Monday through Saturday; the program accepts some business waste (scheduled appointments on Tuesdays; there is a fee); disposal partners include private hazardous-waste firms such as Clean Harbors and Veolia; and disposal can be expensive — Carrion cited a figure of $98 to dispose of a single propane tank properly. The facility has a chemist on staff to identify unknown substances and a reuse program that reduces disposal volume.

Councilmember Allison Stroud asked about dried-latex paint and batteries. Carrion said dried, solidified latex paint can be thrown in household trash; alkaline disposable batteries are considered regular trash because the county lacks a local recycling outlet for them, while lithium and other rechargeable batteries (for tools, electric devices) are accepted at the HHW facility.

Carrion encouraged residents and small businesses to contact the facility with questions about specific items; staff said they will work with local partners including the fire department and bomb squad on unusual or potentially explosive materials.

The presentation did not request council action; it was an informational item and will return to staff for follow-up questions if council members require more technical details.