After a pest problem is dealt with, many US households are left with a half-used spray, a tub of bait or a bait station. EPA has specific advice for getting rid of them, and it is not the same as for ordinary rubbish. This guide summarises EPA’s Safe Disposal of Pesticides page (last updated 25 June 2026), its household hazardous waste page and its Pesticide Registration Notice 2007-1, which sets the disposal wording for household product labels. It covers the United States only and household products; commercial and agricultural products have different rules. State and local rules may be stricter than the federal label requirements. This is general information, not legal advice.
Avoid having leftovers
EPA’s first piece of advice is to avoid disposal where possible. Its page tells households to mix up only enough pesticide for the job and to use up small amounts of excess by applying them according to the directions on the label. If a product cannot be used, EPA suggests asking neighbours who have a similar pest problem whether they can use it. Buying only what a job needs is therefore the simplest form of disposal planning.
What the label says about containers
EPA’s notice sets the disposal wording for household-use pesticide labels, whatever the container size, where the product is intended for use in or around a home by a resident or is regularly sold to household consumers. For products in pressurised containers the wording is “Do Not Puncture or Incinerate!”. An empty can goes in the trash or is offered for recycling if available, and a partly filled one needs a call to the local solid waste agency for disposal instructions.
For all other forms, including liquids, tablets, dusts, gels, pet products and containers such as bags, boxes, bottles, cans, bait stations and squeeze tubes, an empty container must not be reused and goes in the trash or for recycling if available. A partly filled one needs a call to the local solid waste agency, and unused product must never go down any indoor or outdoor drain. The notice adds that a toll-free number or website can be given on labels to help consumers find their local authorities.
Why drains are ruled out
EPA states that pesticides should never be poured down the sink, toilet, sewer or street drain, because many municipal drinking water and wastewater systems are not equipped to remove all pesticides, and pesticides that reach waterways can harm fish, plants and other living things. The notice explains why older advice was dropped: instructions to rinse empty containers were removed because many consumers were confused by rinsing procedures and often disposed of rinse water down drains, and states had reported detections of pesticides in drinking water that appeared in some cases to be linked to disposal or rinsing in residential wastewater systems.
The older advice to wrap a container in paper was also deleted, since EPA said wrapping does not appear to give reliable protection to sanitation workers and may result in accidental or unknown exposures.
Household hazardous waste collections
EPA treats leftover products that can catch fire, react, explode, or are corrosive or toxic, including pesticides, as household hazardous waste. It says many communities have collection programmes, and that a household can search for “household hazardous waste” near its ZIP code on Earth 911 or contact its local environmental, health or solid waste agency to learn about permanent or periodic collections. If a community has no year-round system, EPA suggests checking for designated collection days, and if there is neither, dropping certain products at local businesses for recycling or proper disposal may be possible.
EPA says its Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery and Office of Water have consistently recommended that consumers who generate household hazardous waste dispose of it through local programmes rather than in the regular trash.
Storing and handling until disposal
EPA advises keeping hazardous products in their original containers, never storing them in food containers and never removing labels. When leftovers remain, it says never to mix household hazardous waste with other products, because incompatible products might react, ignite or explode. Even empty containers can pose hazards because of residual chemicals, so they should be handled with care. Improper disposal, including pouring waste down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers or, in some cases, putting it out with the regular trash, can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health.
For related US topics see the guides to the pesticide label and to rat and mouse poison.
FAQs
Can an empty spray can go in the household bin?
EPA’s label wording for pressurised containers says an empty can goes in the trash or can be offered for recycling if available, and must not be punctured or incinerated.
Who should I call about a half-full product?
EPA’s wording tells consumers to call their local solid waste agency, and its pages point to local environmental, health or solid waste agencies and Earth 911.
Do these rules apply to farm or commercial products?
No. The notice covers residential and household use products; EPA’s page notes that state and local rules may differ, so other users should check with their state agency.
The bottom line
For leftover household pest products in the United States, EPA’s advice is to buy only what is needed, use small excess amounts according to the label, follow the label’s disposal wording, call the local solid waste agency for partly filled containers, and use a household hazardous waste collection where one exists. Pesticides must never go down a drain, products should not be mixed, and empty containers should not be reused. Because state and local rules can be stricter than the label, a quick call to the local agency settles what applies. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Safe Disposal of Pesticides (epa.gov)
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (epa.gov)
- PRN 2007-1: Disposal Instructions on Non-Antimicrobial Residential or Household Use Pesticide Product Labels (epa.gov)