Household Hazardous Waste Home Page

Many common products that we use in our daily lives contain potentially hazardous ingredients and require special care when disposed of. It is illegal to dispose of hazardous waste in the garbage, down storm drains, or onto the ground. Chemicals in illegally or improperly disposed hazardous waste can be released into the environment and contaminate our air, water, and possibly the food we eat. And by throwing hazardous waste in the garbage, you can cause additional hazards to your garbage handler.

Regulations to protect public health and the environment have been changing. This is because we now know that some common items that have traditionally been thrown in your household's or small business' trash cannot be safely disposed in landfills. Some of these common items are referred to as hazardous waste, and some of them as "universal waste" (u-waste). As of February 9, 2006, all "u-waste" items are banned from the trash.

Major goals of CalRecycle in this area include:

• Provide the public with convenient collection locations for household hazardous waste.
• Encourage efforts to use recyclable materials in products and design products to facilitate their recyclability.
• Encourage producers to assume responsibility for "cradle-to-cradle" stewardship of their products and materials.

Visit Earth 911 to find convenient recycling locations by ZIP code for various material types.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) regulates the generation, treatment, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste. Visit their website for additional information.