LUSBY, Md. — Calvert County’s next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day will be held Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Appeal Landfill, located at 401 Sweetwater Road in Lusby.
Many people may have hazardous waste in their homes and not even know it. Items like fertilizers, cleaning products, medicines and pool chemicals are just some types of common hazardous waste you may have and should never go in your regular trash. Putting these items in regular trash can cause health and environmental safety risks because they may contaminate the water, air or soil and, in turn, cause harm to us or animals. Proper disposal can help mitigate some of the risks.
A substance is considered hazardous if it ignites easily, reacts or explodes when mixed with other substances, is corrosive or toxic. Words to look out for on your products include caution, warning, danger, poison or toxic.
A substance may be considered hazardous waste even if it’s not necessarily dangerous to use in your home. Many of these substances are considered safe as long as the user follows the instructions for them. So what qualifies as hazardous waste isn’t always immediately clear — an old broken thermometer, for example, might not register as hazardous waste. But if those thermometers contain mercury, you should hold onto them and wait for collection day rather than tossing them in the garbage.
The Calvert County website has a full list of what qualifies as hazardous waste and what qualifies for collection on Oct. 18. Residents should also note that commercial haulers, businesses or institutions are not permitted, and proof of Calvert County residency is required for waste drop-off.
Disposing of hazardous waste is more expensive than regular trash and requires specialty processes. Calvert County works with a contractor to remove the hazardous waste once it’s collected from residents within the county. Then, the waste is recycled or disposed of in special hazardous waste containment, incineration facilities or reprocessed. The county covers the cost of this process twice a year, so residents don’t have to pay anything additional out of pocket.
Residents can contact the Solid Waste Division or Public Works with questions.
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Waste safety often depends on how materials are stored before they’re removed. Without proper containment, even small leaks can become larger issues. Using an approved hazardous waste container supports safer handling and more organized waste management practices.