Martin Services cannot remove hazardous materials (chemicals, solvents, paint, propane tanks, automotive fluids), explosives, ammunition, biohazard waste, or radioactive materials during cleanouts. These items require specialized handling and disposal under Ontario environmental and safety regulations. Everything else — furniture, appliances, electronics, clothing, construction debris, yard waste, tools, and general household or garage contents — we handle without issue.
Items We Cannot Take
The restricted items fall into a few categories. Hazardous household chemicals include old paint, stains, varnishes, pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, automotive oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, and solvents. Pressurized containers such as propane tanks, acetylene cylinders, and unmarked compressed gas tanks are not something we can transport safely. Ammunition and explosives, including old flares, require disposal through local police services. Biohazard waste — such as medical sharps, contaminated materials, or animal remains — needs to go through proper biohazard disposal channels. Asbestos-containing materials, if identified during the cleanout, must be handled by licensed abatement contractors. When our crew encounters any of these items, we set them aside and inform the homeowner about proper disposal options in the Powassan, North Bay, and Nipissing District area.
What We Do Take
The list of items we can remove is far longer than the list of items we cannot. During a typical garage or property cleanout, Martin Services removes old furniture, broken appliances, scrap metal, lumber and construction waste, old tires (which we deliver to appropriate recyclers), electronics, clothing, books, toys, sporting equipment, garden tools, lawn mowers, snowblowers, and general clutter that has accumulated over years. We sort as we work, separating recyclable materials and donation-quality items from landfill-bound waste to minimize what goes to the landfill.
How to Prepare for a Cleanout
If you suspect your garage or property contains hazardous materials, let us know during the estimate call. We can advise you on how to handle those items separately before or after our crew arrives, so the cleanout proceeds smoothly. In our experience cleaning out properties across Powassan, North Bay, and surrounding areas over 35 years, most cleanouts proceed without complications — the vast majority of items in a typical garage or property are standard household and workshop materials that we remove every day.
Need a garage or property cleanout? Call Martin Services at (249) 506-9211 for a free estimate. We will walk the space with you, identify anything that needs special handling, and give you a clear quote.