HOW TO Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

Ever wonder what to do with that half-used gallon of paint?

Or what about the old cleaning products, automotive fluids and other solvents and chemicals piled up in your garage? These items certainly can’t go into the garbage bin, but don’t have a place in the recycling bin either. San Joaquin County wants to help you properly dispose of these items, and many more, that are taking up space in your household.

Identifying Household Hazardous Waste
The first step to properly disposing hazardous items is to understand what constitutes as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). According to San Joaquin County; “When leftover paint, used oil, pool chemicals, or any other product containing potentially dangerous materials needs to be disposed of, they become household hazardous waste.” These include items that are toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive, or explosive. Of course, if you know you have a lot of different waste stored and you’re not sure how to get rid of it all, depending on where you live you could always look at researching into a company like this that provides cheap skip bins Sydney based and the waste will be sorted and disposed of correctly by the company in question. Ever consider how to get rid of batteries and fluorescent bulbs? They, too, can be properly disposed of right alongside inkjet print cartridges and obsolete electronics. View the full list at sjgov.org/solidwaste/hhw.

Transporting HHW
Whether bringing in a bottle of unused pesticide, or a jug of used oil, always take precautions when transporting hazardous items to prevent spills and contamination. Not everyone is aware of the potential dangers that these solutions pose, for example, oil is, according to Storemasta flammable and is therefore dangerous to have lying around the house unprotected. If possible, keep products in their original containers with original labels intact. These containers are typically the safest means of transporting the product and the label will help staff to identify the items upon drop-off. Waste that must be moved to a new container should be properly sealed before transit, and provided with a label for easy identification.

Never mix products! This will prevent someone else from using the items if they can be placed in the Re-Use Room, and may cause a dangerous reaction. Ensure that all items are secure in the vehicle before transporting to prevent spills and leaks. Residents may transport no more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of household hazardous waste per any one trip to San Joaquin County’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility.

Household Hazardous Waste Facility
The HHW Facility offers free disposal services for a variety of items, including automotive batteries and fluids and used oil and oil filters. Electronics and household cleaners, lawn care and pool chemicals are also accepted. Alongside solvents and paint, medications and bulbs, the center can be a one-stop drop-off that ensures these hazardous items don’t litter the household, or spill into our environment. When you’re at the HHW Facility, stop by the Re-Use Room and see if there are any items that you can re-use in your home. The Re-Use room contains many items that people no longer want, but the products are still viable. Items include partial to mostly full cans of paint, plant fertilizer, cleaning products and many others. The HHW Facility is open to the public Thursday through Saturday from

9:00 am to 3:00 pm and is absolutely free to San Joaquin County residents. The HHW Facility is located at 7850 R.A. Bridgeford Street, Stockton, California 95206.

For More Information:
SJ County Public Works
SJCrecycle.org