Household Hazardous Waste Program

The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program is working toward changing the way New Hampshire’s residents purchase, use and dispose of hazardous products, with a goal of reducing the amount or "toxicity" of the products they purchase. We work extensively with homeowners and municipalities, so for your benefit all information on the HHW home page has been divided into those two categories. Please read more to learn what the HHW program is doing for New Hampshire’s homeowners and municipal solid waste facilities.

New Hampshire’s population of 1.3 million has almost doubled since 1970; the year of the first Earth Day. As residents of New Hampshire, we purchase millions of dollar’s worth of household products such as cleaners, pesticides and electronic devices that make our lives easier, safer and more enjoyable. Our decision to purchase one product over another is generally determined by its price and effectiveness with media advertising being the primary source of such information. Unfortunately, we are not always aware of the toxic nature of these products nor do we consider the environmental or health effects resulting from their use or disposal.

As consumers, we may not always be aware of the toxic chemicals or dangerous materials that make up the ingredients of the products we bring into our homes. When stored or used improperly, one product’s vapors may react with the chemicals in another product creating toxic gases, poisonings and even fires. Every day, we throw products like drain cleaners, medications, pesticides, bleaches and fluorescent lamps into the household trash where they are free to come in contact and react with each other. Even if the chemicals in these products don’t react in the garbage, their disposal as solid waste could allow them to leak into the environment where they would contaminate the air we breathe and water we drink.

The NH Household Hazardous Waste Program seeks to protect public health and the environment from the effects of improper use and disposal of toxic products by helping to fund the more than 60 HHW collection events across the state and assisting residents in finding alternative, non-toxic alternatives for the hazardous products they use.

THE TOWN OF THORNTON PARTICIPATES IN THE HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAYS HELD IN BOTH PLYMOUTH AND LITTLETON EACH YEAR TYPICALLY IN AUGUST & SEPTEMBER.  

2023 dates: 

2023 ~ Littleton Transfer Station: SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 2023

2023 ~ Plymouth Recycling Center: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

See attached information below for details. 

For more information on Household Hazardous Waste see the documents below or visit NH DES website.