HHW Collection & Computer Recycling Program

The City of Allen partners with the City of Plano to offer HHW collection service for household chemicals generated by Allen residents. City of Allen staff offers this separate collection service to ensure the environment remains free of chemical contamination. City of Allen staff picks up small quantities of household chemicals and delivers them directly to the City of Plano’s HHW Reuse Center. In return, the items suitable for reuse are available FREE to Allen residents at the Plano Reuse Center. The Plano Reuse Center is not licensed by the State to accept HHW drop-offs at this location.

The City of Allen also recycles old computers and electronic equipment to keep them out of the landfill. The City provides four drop-off events annually and contracts with Cyclone Aluminum and Steel to recycle these items.

Jump to Computer Recycling Program Information

Schedule HHW Service

Contact the City of Allen’s Community Services Department at 214.509.4500 or e-mail.
City of Allen HHW staff will deliver a red bin, along with a defined pick-up date and handling instructions.
Typically the bin will be dropped off at your home on a Monday and is picked up the next Tuesday.

HHW Service Guidelines

Place your HHW items inside the red bin and place the lid on the bin.
Set the HHW bin out by 7:00 a.m. on the established collection day.
Place the HHW bin in the same area where the polycart is usually placed and at least two (2) feet from your trash polycart.
A bin weighing more than 40 pounds or containing more than 10 gallons of HHW in containers will not be collected.
Items MUST be labeled with the original label. Unlabeled containers will NOT be collected.
All flammable materials (i.e., gasoline, kerosene, oil) should be in the original container or containers approved to transport flammables. Plastic jugs with screw-top lids may be used for flammables under one gallon.
If containers are rusted or leaking, you must place them inside another container (bucket) or a plastic bag before putting them in your red bin.
HHW diluted with significant amounts of water will NOT be collected.
Non-HHW or unacceptable items will NOT be collected.

HHW Items Suitable for Collection

The following household chemicals are accepted through the chemical collection program and should not be placed in your refuse or recycling containers:

Household Products	Garden Products	Pool Chemicals
ammonia-based cleaners	fertilizer	alkaline additive
floor care products	pesticides	pool cleaners
metal polishes	fungicides	pool chlorine
drain cleaner	herbicides	shock treatment
furniture polish		muriatic acid
oven cleaner
window cleaners
insect sprays
cooking oil
Products Commonly Found in Your Garage
spray paint	transmission fluid	car wax
latex & oil-based paint	oil filters	power steering fluid
antifreeze	car batteries & battery acid	kerosene
paint thinner or stripper	primer	varnish
gasoline or diesel fuel	motor oil	turpentine
brake fluid	lighter fluid	wood preservatives

Items NOT Suitable for Collection

There are a number of household chemicals not accepted through the City of Allen’s HHW Collection program. These items require special handling for disposal. Please contact the Community Services Department at 214.509.4550 for assistance with proper disposal of the following items:

Require Special Handling
asbestos	arsenic	mercury	unlabeled HHW chemicals	biohazards	nuclear/radioactive materials (smoke detectors)	expired medication
medical waste	photographic processing chemicals	chemical containers larger than 5 gallons	commercial quantities of HHW	ammunition*	explosives or fireworks*	fire extinguishers**
						small propane or helium tanks**

*Please contact the Allen Police Department at 214.509.4286 about disposal of ammunition, explosives and fireworks.

**Effective Oct. 1, 2008, the HHW program will no longer accept liquid fire extinguishers, helium tanks, or propane tanks of any size. Large propane tanks can be disposed of at any propane exchange cage. Small, empty canisters may be disposed of in the regular trash. Contact the manufacturer for further disposal options.

HHW Reuse Center

Through a partnership with the City of Plano, Allen residents may pick up reusable household chemicals for free at Plano’s HHW Reuse Center.

The Plano Reuse Center is a facility for redistributing items suitable for reuse that are collected through residential chemical collections only. Chemicals may not be dropped off at the Reuse Center. For more information, please contact the Plano Reuse Center 972.769.4132.

Plano Reuse Center

4110 W. Plano Parkway
Plano, TX 75093
972.769.4132

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Hours of Operation:

March through April:	May through November:	December through February:
Mondays 5pm - 7pm	Mondays 5pm - 7pm	Mondays 5pm - 7pm
Saturdays 9am - 11am	Wednesdays 11am - 1pm	The third Saturday of the month 9am - 11am
	Saturdays 9am - 11am	Closed on City of Plano observed holidays

Service Guidelines

ID Required: Current City of Allen utility bill and Texas driver's license (address must match).
This facility and disposal privilege is not intended for what would amount to commercial or business use by Allen residents.

Reusable Products (regularly available)

The items available FREE to Allen residents include all of the allowable items collected in this program that are reusable except banned chemicals and gasoline.

Paint (latex and oil-based)
- Conservation Colors, a recycled latex paint with a viscosity of 30 is also available for free. This paint is appropriate for all painting applications and comes in a limited variety of colors. It is screened and is usable with spray painting equipment when thinned.
Garden products (herbicides and pesticides)
Pool chemicals
Household cleansers
Repair products
Pet products

Disposal Tips For Home Health Care Waste

Keep all containers with sharp objects out of the reach of children, pets and out of your recycling receptacle. Help protect workers and others from injury or contamination by following simple steps when disposing of sharp objects and contaminated materials used as part of your home health care. You should place the following material in a hard plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tightly secured lid:

Needles
Syringes
Lancets
Sharp objects

You may use a detergent or orange juice container, or you may purchase containers specifically designed for the disposal of medical waste sharps. Before discarding a container, be sure to reinforce the lid with heavy-duty tape & place in a dark plastic trash bag. Do not put sharp objects in any container you plan to recycle or return to a store, and do not use glass or clear plastic containers. We recommend that soiled bandages, disposable sheets, and medical gloves be placed in securely fastened plastic bags before placing with your household trash. For the protection of the workers please DO NOT put containers with sharps or medical waste in the recycle receptacle.

Prescription Medication Disposal (Click Here)

City of Allen Computer and Electronics Recycling Program

Effective July 1, 2008, computer equipment will no longer be collected from Allen residences by City of Allen staff. Instead, the City will hold four one-day computer and electronic collections per year: January, April, August, and November (see dates below). Contact the City of Allen Community Services Department at 214.509.4500 for more information.

Collection Dates:

January 16, 2010 at Allen City Hall, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
April 24, 2010 at Bossy Boots Dr. (Great American Cleanup), 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
August -Date Pending at Allen City Hall, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
November 6, 2010 at Allen City Hall, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For security reasons, we recommend that any memory storage device is removed, wiped clean or destroyed before dropping off at any recycling event! Allen residents that participate MUST present their current water bill & drivers license to show proof of Allen residency.

Computer Manufacturer Recycling

By state law in effect starting Sept. 1, 2008, computer manufacturers who sell their products in Texas are now required to take-back and recycle their own computer equipment at no cost to individuals. This program does not apply to cell phones and other hand-held electronics, although many manufacturers have decided to include these items in their recycling plan. Some manufacturers also include incentives for purchasing new products when you bring your old device to recycle. Check with the manufacturer for more details.

For more information visit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) website. This site includes links to all computer manufacturers' recycling websites. A few links are provided below.

Apple
Dell
Gateway
Hewlett-Packard
Sony
Toshiba

Retailers located in or near Allen also provide electronic recycling opportunities. Fees and restrictions may apply, so please check with the business. For more information, click on the links below.

For more companies offering recycling in Texas, use the check form compiled by the TCEQ based on the type of material.

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