Beyond the Curb–Hazardous Materials Disposal
Quick Links
Salinas Valley Recycles Household Hazardous Waste Facility Salinas
Salinas Valley Recycles Residential Guide to Recycling & Hazardous Waste
Salinas Valley Recycles FREE Mobile Collection Service for qualified seniors (65+) and persons with disabilities
What is Household Hazardous Waste?
When we think about "Hazardous Waste," we tend to think about barrels of sludge or glowing radioactive ooze, but it's not all so obvious. Toxic products can lurk in many corners of your home or business: pesticides for landscaping, jugs of used motor oil, worn-out fluorescent bulbs and tubes, and familiar chemical cleaners purchased with your weekly groceries. When these products are leftover, unwanted, or unusable, they turn into potentially harmful waste, also known as Household Hazardous Waste.
Important: It is unlawful to place any hazardous materials or hazardous waste (including asbestos-containing materials) into any Tri-Cities cart, dumpster, or drop box.
Obvious Toxics
It is easy to imagine why certain toxics, such as a bottle of weed killer or a canister of diesel fuel, might pose a danger to us and the environment. Inhaling fumes and skin contact can damage our health, especially that of our children. Throwing these products into the trash or pouring them down the sink or into a storm drain pollutes our soil, groundwater, rivers, and bay and can harm wildlife.
Hidden Toxics
Other hazardous wastes are less obvious in their toxicity. For example, electronics such as computers and cell phones, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, and thermostats are safe while in use but turn into toxic waste when discarded. This is because they contain heavy metals like mercury and cadmium and other harmful chemicals that are released into the environment when these products are crushed in landfills.
Salinas Valley Recycles (SVR) offers many opportunities throughout the year for Salinas Valley residents and businesses to manage these special materials safely. Click here to learn more about their programs and collection sites.
Tri-Cities hosts two Reuse, Recycle & Cleanup Day events a year in each city in its service area. A.B.O.P. items, electronic waste (e-waste), and sharps containers are collected during these events. Residents are notified of upcoming events in advance by mail, social media, and community information outlets.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), Antifreeze, Batteries, Oil & Paint (ABOP), Tires, Electronic & Medical Waste
Important: It is unlawful to place any hazardous materials or hazardous waste (including asbestos-containing materials) into any Tri-Cities cart, dumpster, or drop box.
The State of California has recently expanded its definitions of hazardous and universal wastes. Items that fall under these categories and A.B.O.P. items are unlawful to dispose of in the normal waste stream. This includes disposal in toilets, sinks, or storm drains. Never, ever dispose of ANYTHING in a storm drain.
Residents in the Tri-Cities service area have many FREE options for the safe and legal disposal of special wastes. Many common products we use in our homes and daily lives contain hazardous ingredients that require special care at disposal.
Residential Curbside Collection Program for Household Batteries
Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling now offers curbside collection of household batteries for residential customers. To participate in the program:
Place 9V (tape the posts), AA, AAA, C, D, and button or hearing aid batteries in a clear zip-top plastic bag,
Place the bag ON TOP of the lid of your BLUE mixed recycling cart on your regular trash collection day, and
Our driver will pick up the bag and deliver it to a collection facility for recycling.
Do NOT
Include any other type or size of battery
Place the bag inside the recycling cart (this is very dangerous and can be hazardous to our recycling staff)
Include anything other than batteries in the bag
Tires
Salinas Valley Recycles accepts tires for recycling (for a fee) at the Madison Lane Transfer Station in Salinas, the Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales, and the Jolon Transfer Station outside of King City. Please check their website as they periodically host FREE tire recycling events for residents to dispose of regular car and truck (no tractor) tires.
Hazardous Medical Waste
Never place exposed or used sharps in the garbage can or recycling bin. Salinas Valley Recycles accepts approved sharps containers at their Madison Lane Transfer Station located in Salinas at 1104 Madison Lane. Additionally, there are locations in Gonzales, Soledad, and King City where residents can drop their approved sharps containers for FREE, safe, and legal disposal.
Unwanted, expired, and unneeded medications can be a life-threatening danger to children and pets. Certain medications can be an invitation for abuse and overdose by persons for whom the medication was not prescribed. Always secure your medications and safely dispose of those you no longer need. Never flush or wash any medication down the drain. Read below for information on locations in the Salinas Valley where prescription and non-prescription medications can be disposed of safely, legally, and discretely.
Medical Sharps Supplies
FREE Sharps Disposal
(In Approved Containers)
Salinas Valley Recycles
Recycling Center
1104 Madison Lane, Salinas
Gonzales Rx Pharmacy
18 Fourth Street, Gonzales
Soledad Pharmacy & Wellness Center
537 Front Street, Soledad
Greenfield City Hall & Police Department
599 El Camino Real, Greenfield
Medications
Don't rush to flush! You should never flush prescription or non-prescription medications down toilets or dump them down sinks. The cities of Gonzales, Greenfield, and Soledad have safe and secure medication disposal kiosks for the discrete disposal of prescription and non-prescription medications. Anyone in the Salinas Valley can dispose of prescription and non-prescription medications in these kiosks, and they will be destroyed safely and legally.
City of Gonzales Police Department
147 Fourth Street Gonzales, CA 93926
The location accepts controlled and non-controlled medications. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call 831-675-5010 for more information.
Greenfield Police Department
599 El Camino Real, Greenfield, CA 93927
The location accepts controlled and non-controlled medications. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call 831-674-5111 for more information.
Soledad Pharmacy & Wellness Center
537 Front Street, Soledad, CA 93960
The location accepts controlled and non-controlled medications. Hours: Monday - Saturday
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Saturdays open until 1:00 PM). Call 831-667-6100 for more information.
Identifying HHW & ABOP Materials
Never place these items in any cart or dumpster.
Take them to the appropriate hazardous materials drop-off.
antifreeze
batteries
drain cleaners
fluorescent bulbs
grease or rust solvents
high-intensity lamps
lighter fluid
mercury thermometers
motor oil
nail polish remover or acetone
oven cleaners
paint (latex or oil-based)
paint strippers
paint thinners
pesticides or insecticides
sharps or lancets
gasoline
pool chemicals
propane tanks
used oil filters
wood cleaners
metal cleaners
herbicides
Used Motor Oil Collection
Motor oil is a hazardous waste and should be disposed of properly. Monterey County Environmental Health Department and Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling are working together to provide the residents in the Tri-Cities service area with an environmentally friendly option for disposing of their used motor oil and filters. To dispose of your oil, you must use the County's used oil collection container.
When your container is full of oil, place it next to your blue recycling cart at the curb on your weekly trash collection and recycling day. If you do not have the proper container, one can be provided by calling Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling toll-free at 888-678-6798.
This service is provided for single-family residences only. Oil must be free of all other fluids (no antifreeze or fuel) and properly placed to avoid spillage.
