29 Hazardous & Toxic Things Forbidden in Utah Trash Bins

Utah's struggling with household waste management. 

Day after day, the average Utahn adds four pounds of trash to state dumpsters. With a growing, but still relatively low population of 2 million people, that rounds out to about 8 million pounds of trash every 24 hours. 

If you think that sounds extreme, it gets worse. Of the 2.9 billions pounds of annual refuse processed by the state, Utah's Waste Management & Radiation Control Group says 85% of it ends up in landfills. 

As for the remaining 15%, as Utah's WMRC estimates as little as 10% is recycled or upcycled at their facility, and the last 5% is in burned. No pun intended, but what a waste, right?

Utahns aren't sorting hazardous waste, & it's becoming a big problem.

Utah's WMRC says residential waste is one of its biggest concerns. The waste management group reports between 5-to-15% of thrown out items contain harsh toxic ingredients. 

If neglected or mishandled, the hazardous substances could wreak havoc on the state's ecosystem. Potential problems include, but aren't limited to, polluting Utah's air, water, and soil. All of which could drastically threaten the well-being of Utah's residents, wildlife, and other living organisms. 

The problem & the answer to Utah's waste issue starts at home.

Did you know that the average Utahn family household has 3-to-10 gallons of hazardous fluids and materials on hand? If Utahns want to be part of the solution, they need to start at home. The answer to Utah's waste problem is a matter of cutting back on the amount of generated at the residential level. 

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Think twice before you can it, Utah. 

Next time you're cleaning out the garage or finishing up a DIY project, take a moment to make your state a better, cleaner, more environmentally conscious place to live. 

Scroll for 29 hazardous & toxic things forbidden from Utah garbage cans.