Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Substances

This page is intended to guide readers to additional information about the many substances and items most people frequently deal with, which have a potential to cause harm to people or the environment if improperly disposed.

Also see Batteries, Cleaning and Custodial Supplies, Electronics, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, Fluorescent Lamps, Product Stewardship, Medical Waste at Home, Mercury in the Health Care Industry and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing in Health Care.

See a list of all wastes banned from the trash.

Table of Contents

• CalRecycle Programs and Services
• CalRecycle Publications
• Other Resources
  • Other Documents
  • Web Sites
• Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Subtopics

Are you looking for information on Batteries and Fluorescent Lamps and Tubes?

CalRecycle Programs and Services

• CalRecycle Household Hazardous Waste Program—Oil, used oil, and used oil grants.
• Medical Waste at Home
  • Fever thermometers
  • Personal care products such as:
    • cosmetics
    • perfumes and fragrances
    • shampoos
    • suntan lotions, sunscreens
  • Prescription and over-the-counter items such as:
    • creams
    • ointments
    • pain relievers
    • therapeutic drugs
  • Syringes, hypodermic needles, sharps
• Where to Recycle or Dispose Household Hazardous Waste
  • Where Can I Recycle My...?—Call 1-800-CLEAN-UP (253-2687) or enter your ZIP code at this Web site to find the nearest recycling center.  Includes information about most recyclable household waste, including household hazardous waste collection centers.
  • Local Governmental Household Hazardous Waste Agencies—See the Web site of your local governmental household hazardous waste agency for the latest information in your area.
  • Where to Dispose Aerial and Marine Flares? Special care should be considered when disposing of expired flares. Check the list of Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Centers currently accepting expired flares. Often times, fire stations will accept the flares.

CalRecycle Publications

• Household Hazardous Waste—CalRecycle has publications on household hazardous waste.

Other Resources

Other Documents

• Managing Hazardous Waste at Foreclosed Properties—A guide about managing materials and hazardous waste that may be found at foreclosed properties.
• Managing Hazardous Waste in Your Community—Several Portable Document Format (PDF) documents on managing hazardous waste.  From U. S. EPA.

Web Sites

• California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)—DTSC regulates the treatment, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous waste. DTSC also administers some site cleanup programs. For information or assistance with hazardous waste, call a Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Regulatory Assistance Officer at (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942) or call or visit the regional DTSC office nearest you:
  • DTSC Headquarters
    1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 94812
  • Sacramento Office, (916) 255-3545
    8800 Cal Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826
    • This office has no Regulatory Assistance Officer, but may soon. In the mean time if you call the phone number of the Regulatory Assistance Officer for this office, (916) 255-3618, you will be transferred to a Regulatory Assistance Officer of a neighboring office.
  • Berkeley Office, (510) 540-2122
    700 Heinz Avenue
    Berkeley, CA 94710
    • Regulatory Assistance Officer, Mary Mismer (510) 540-3739. mmisemer@dtsc.ca.gov
  • Clovis Office, (559) 297-3901
    1515 Tollhouse Road, Clovis, CA 93611-0522
    • This office has no Regulatory Assistance Officer, but may soon. In the mean time if you call (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942), you will be transferred to a Regulatory Assistance Officer of a neighboring office.
• Glendale Office, (818) 551-2800
  1011 North Grandview Ave., Glendale, CA 91201-2205
  • Regulatory Assistance Officer, Andre Amy, (818) 551-2830, aamy@dtsc.ca.gov
• Cypress Office, (714) 484-5300
  5796 Corporate Ave., Cypress, CA 90630
  • Regulatory Assistance Officer, Gloria Conti, (714) 484-5400, gconti@dtsc.ca.gov
• San Diego Office
  2878 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 402, San Diego, CA 92108
  • This office has no Regulatory Assistance Officer, but may soon. In the meantime if you call (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942), you will be transferred to a Regulatory Assistance Officer of a neighboring office.
• Calexico Office, Imperial County
  301 Heber Avenue, Calexico, CA 92231
  • This office has no Regulatory Assistance Officer, but may soon. In the meantime if you call (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942), you will be transferred to a Regulatory Assistance Officer of a neighboring office.

• How to Reduce Toxic Chemicals in Your Home—Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance.
• Managing Waste Mercury Lamps —This website outlines the proper management, recycling, and transporting of waste mercury lamps including fluorescent tubes and many types of street lights.
• Material Safety Data Sheets —Provided by Avantor.
• Material Safety Date Sheet Sources—Free sources for Materials Safety Data Sheets, hosted by MSDS Solutions. (Scroll down a little.)
• Priority Chemicals—31 waste minimization priority chemicals identified by U.S. EPA. This Web site contains Portable Document Format (PDF) fact sheet on each chemical.
• Scorecard—A comprehensive on-line tool for monitoring and taking action on chemical releases and other forms of pollution nationwide and locally. Provided by Environmental Defense.
• Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition—Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) is a diverse grassroots coalition that engages in research, advocacy, and organizing.
• Smoke Detectors and Radiation—From U. S. EPA
  • Disposing of Smoke Detectors
• Toxnet—A cluster of databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related areas.
• Washington Toxics Coalition—Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC) works to protects public health and the environment by eliminating toxic pollution. WTC promotes alternatives, advocates policies, empowers communities, and educates people to create a healthy environment.

Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Substances Subtopics

• Mercury
• Universal Waste
• Used Oil