Q: I’ve got chemical waste, a broken computer, old batteries and other various things hanging out in my garage — how do I dispose of them?
A: No matter what strange things are hiding in your attic, garage or storage space, it’s likely the City of Dallas has provisions for getting rid of them. Dallas residents can dispose of most of these kinds of waste for free. Here’s how it works:
1. Take the following waste to the Home Chemical Collection Center at 11234 Plano Road for free disposal:
· Chemical products for home use
· Paint and home repair products
· Lawn & garden chemicals
· Aerosol sprays
· Pool Chemicals
· Craft and hobby supplies
· Cleaners and polishes
· Batteries
· Automotive fluids and oil filters
· Fluorescent light tubes
· Computers and cell phones
Collection center hours are Tuesday, 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Make sure to take your driver’s license and water bill as proof of residence so you don’t have to pay. Residents of all other cities must pay a minimum $95 disposal fee; your water bill proves that you pay City of Dallas sanitation fees.
2. Various components of televisions and computers can be harmful to the environment if they are improperly thrown away. Dallas residents have a couple of options when looking to rid themselves of old “e-waste”.
3. If your electronics are still in working condition, consider donating them rather than just giving them away. Most Goodwill locations will accept working televisions and computers. East Dallas residents can take donations to the drop off center in front of Albertson’s at 6464 Mockingbird. Find other locations at goodwill.org; all Goodwill drop off centers are open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
4. If your electronics are not in working condition you can recycle them at any one of Dallas’ four e-cycling locations, also free to Dallas residents. Locations include:
7677 Fair Oaks, open Wednesday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., 214.670.6126.
9500 Harry Hines, open Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., 214.670.6150 during the week and 214.243.2670 on the weekend.
4610 Westmoreland, open Wednesday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., 214.670.1927.
5100 Youngblood, open Monday through Friday, 5 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday from 6 a.m.-4 p.m., 214.670.0977.
City of Dallas residents should bring their driver’s license and water bill to keep from being charged for the service. Non-residents are charged $21 a ton.
5. For more information, contact the City of Dallas Sanitation Department at 214.670.3555.
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