HHW Collection Events

How Not to Load Your HHW for an HHW Collection Event

Household Hazardous waste disposal

Household Hazardous Waste disposal events are held periodically at the Landfill and Don Pedro Transfer Station. Space is limited due to the high cost of disposing of the materials. (The last event that was open to all County residents cost $47,000.)

Before disposing of materials as HHW, consider taking the following steps:

  1. Use them up. These products were made for consumer use and, with some exceptions (see list of banned pesticides below) a solution to disposing of them at an HHW event is to use them up following the directions on the label. The empty container can be disposed of in the trash.
  2. Give them to someone who can use them. Family, friends, neighbors and organizations are often more than happy to take leftover paint and paint products and other materials.
  3. Dry up latex paint or save it for free disposal in our paint recycling program (coming soon!) Small amounts of Latex paint can be dried by leaving the lid off or by mixing it with clay-based kitty litter and leaving the lid off. The dried paint and can can then be disposed up with your household trash. Remove the lid so the staff can see the contents.

Universal Waste

Universal waste, such as the following may be brought to the Landfill and Recycling Center for recycling throughout the year during regular hours of operation:

  • Answering machines
  • Batteries
  • Cell phones
  • Computers
  • Fluorescent tubes and bulbs
  • Home printers and copiers
  • iPods
  • Mercury containing products
  • Properly packaged sharps (needles and lancets)
  • Radios
  • Stereos
  • Televisions

Also accepted are:empty propane tanks and aerosol cans, tires, antifreeze, and uncontaminated oil and oil filters. A small fee is charged for some items to cover associated handling costs.

HHW Events

The following materials are accepted at HHW events: 

  • Art supplies
  • Barbeque tanks
  • Engine and brake part cleaners
  • Fungicides
  • Gasoline and contaminated oil (containers will not be returned)
  • Glues and adhesives
  • Herbicides
  • Household and oven cleaners
  • Nail polish remover
  • Non-empty aerosol cans
  • Paint, thinners
  • Pesticides
  • Photo chemicals
  • Polishes
  • Pool chemicals
  • Rodenticides
  • Rust preventative
  • Solvents
  • Waxes
  • Wood preservatives
  • Other household products containing toxic chemicals

Not Accepted

Not accepted are:

  • Ammunition and explosives
  • Asbestos
  • Biological waste
  • Large compressed gas cylinders
  • Marine flares
  • Medical waste (including needles and lancets)
  • Non-hazardous waste (household trash)
  • Radioactive waste
  • Tires

Preparing for Transport

To prepare for transport, keep materials in their original containers with their labels intact if possible. Do not mix products. California law prohibits more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste to be transported per trip in containers no larger than five gallons. Drivers must stay in their vehicles at the collection site and wait for a staff member to assist them.

More Information

For more information call the Landfill, 209-966-5165.