Household Hazardous Waste Topics

Pollution Topics

Household Hazardous Waste

Do you use products to clean your house, grow a garden, work on your car or maintain a pool?

Many common household products contain chemicals that can pollute our air, our property, and our drinking water. They can also harm our children, pets and local wildlife. When such products are no longer wanted or are unusable, they become household hazardous waste (HHW). Examples of HHW include paint, paint thinners, used oil, batteries, pesticides, pool chemicals, cleaners, and most auto care products. You can identify household hazardous products by finding a warning on the product label that reads, in order of most to least hazardous: Poison! , Danger! , Warning! , or Caution!

You can protect your family and community by making smart choices about the household product you buy. Choose items that are less toxic (no warning shown on the label) and buy only what you need. Find alternatives to commonly used products here (link to)

If you have old or spent products that you must dispose of, remember that it is dangerous and illegal to dump them in the garbage, on the soil, in the gutter, or down the sink or toilet. Do the right thing! Dispose of unwanted chemicals at the HHW collection facility near you.

For program information and drop-off locations and hours of operation throughout the Monterey Bay Area, please click on the appropriate link below:

Santa Cruz County and City of Santa Cruz:
www.santacruzcountyrecycles.org

Monterey County – Peninsula Region:
www.mrwmd.org/household-hazardous-waste.htm

Monterey County – Inland Valley:
www.svswa.org

San Benito County:
www.san-benito.ca.us/departments/iwm/household_haz_waste.htm

Outside of the Monterey Bay Area:
www.earth911.org

The HHW programs are FREE OF CHARGE. Only waste from households is accepted, no businesses waste is accepted.

Program Contact

Ecology Action
Phone: 831.426.5925
Fax: 831.425.1404