Studies by the Garbage Project found household products to be a potential source of hazardous material in landfills. Studies show that although household hazardous wastes are a small part of the total residential solid waste, total amounts generated per year are high. Almost every home produces waste that poses hazards if improperly disposed. Most household hazardous waste falls into the household maintenance category.

Compared to recycling and incineration, landfills are generally not a good method for disposing of hazardous waste. Landfills do not treat the hazardous waste or detoxify it. Landfills only contain the waste where some biodegradation may take place. Because of new laws, landfills are also becoming more expensive.

If a product is recyclable, by all means recycle it. Recycling is almost always the best way to dispose of and treat wastes. For disposing of a limited amount of non-recyclable wastes, landfills are not a bad choice.

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