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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Many household hazardous wastes end up in the landfill and that can be harmful to the environment.

But tomorrow the city of Yellowknife and the GNWT Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be on hand at the Yellowknife Community Arena Parking lot from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to collect these items for free for proper disposal.

Gerald Enns, left, and Bruce Underhay show some of the hazardous waste items people can bring to the Yellowknife Community Arena parking lot on Saturday for disposal. - Jason Emiry/NNSL photo

Household hazardous wastes are everyday products that are harmful to people and the environment if they are not disposed of properly such as batteries, paint, drain cleaners, turpentine and oil.

Gerald Enns, a hazardous waste specialist from Environment and Natural Resources, just returned from attending similar events in Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells.

"The dumps in the NWT aren't controlled," said Enns. "Everything is going in there. The city of Yellowknife is one of the best but every time I go there, I see things that should not be going in there.

"Mercury is a good example. Little thermostats have a little bulb of mercury. That is a considerable amount of mercury. It is toxic. It gets released into the landfill, gets into our groundwater right back into our water stream and converts to methyl mercury. Oil-based products all have a negative impact on water quality. If they go straight to the landfill, they are not going to disappear. They are going to percolate through and affect the water."

To reduce hazardous household waste, he said people can buy non-toxic products or buy only what they need and pass on leftovers to someone who can use them.

Alternatives include products low in phosphates, chlorine, dyes or perfumes. Latex paints require fewer toxic solvents and thinners than oil-based paints. Weeds in the garden can be pulled by hand or sprayed with natural chemicals instead of pesticides.

Bruce Underhay, manager of the landfill, said there is a place at the dump where people can take hazardous waste items but safety is an issue.

"We'd like to see something like this twice a year," he said. "Once in the spring and again in the fall. It's more organized and safer to do it this way."