Universal Waste

What Is Banned by the State of California?

For more information reference the California Integrated Waste Management Board at 916.341.6300 or www.ciwmb.gov 

How do I know if a particular electronic device can’t be thrown in the trash?
The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has tested many electronic devices including: tube-type and flat panel televisions and computer monitors, laptop computers, computers central processing units (CPU), printers, radios, microwave ovens, video cassette recorders (VCR), cell phones, cordless phones, and telephone answering machines. The devices that DTSC tested contained concentrations of metals (lead and copper) high enough to make them hazardous wastes when they are discarded. Unless you are sure they are not hazardous, you should presume these types of devices need to be recycled or disposed of as hazardous waste and that they may not be thrown in the trash.

The landfills, transfer stations and Household Hazardous Waste Facilities have some free services for residential customers.  There are charges for disposal of some items. Please consult rate sheet at www.svswa.org, under Facilities -> Fees.  Commercial businesses will be charged for disposal.

Lights, Batteries, and Electronics

Fluorescent lamps and tubes.  Fluorescent light bulbs and lamps that contain mercury; Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs, ultraviolet lamps, grow lights, black lights, tanning lights, high-density discharge (HID); metal halide lamps, sodium and neon bulbs all contain mercury vapors.  If broken, mercury can be released into the environment and may cause nerve damage as well as a host of other serious illnesses. 
Recovery options:

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales. 
  • Ballast recycling:  Allied Technology Group, Fremont, CA  510.490.3008
  • Fluorescent tube recycling:  Allied Technology Group, Fremont, CA  510.490.3008; RecycLights, Universal Waste Recycling:  800 - 884-8982 or www.recyclights.com; Orchard Supply Hardware; Ace Hardware.

Batteries. Includes all batteries, AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, 9-volt, and all others, both rechargeable and single use. Also lead-acid batteries such as car batteries. Positive ends are to be covered with tape. Do not store in metal or paper containers. 
Recovery options:

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales.
  • Car battery recycling: Take to the Sun Street Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Salinas, Crazy Horse Canyon Landfill in Salinas, Jolon Road Transfer Station in King City or Johnson Canyon Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Gonzales; to a retail auto supply store such as Anna’s Recycling Center, Hollister, CA  831.637.1321; D&D Recycling, Watsonville, CA 831/722.3597; Kragen Auto Parts; Auto-Zone; Sears; Bridgestone Firestone; A&S Metals.
  • Rechargeable battery recycling: Kragen Auto Parts, RadioShack; Staples Office Supply; Cingular Wireless; Sears; Home Depot; Office Depot; Verizon Wireless; Orchard Supply Hardware; Best Buy; Lowe’s; Target;  or contact the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at 678-419-9990 or www.rbrc.org   
  • Earth 911: www.earth911.org or 1-877-earth911 for local environmental information.

Electronic devices. Includes computers, televisions, printers, VCRs, cell phones, telephones, radios, digital watches, gameboys, joysticks, game accessories and microwave ovens.  This also includes cathode ray tubes (CRT), liquid crystal diodes (LCD), and plasma monitors.
Recovery options:

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales, Sun Street Transfer Station in Salinas, Crazy Horse Canyon Landfill in Salinas, Jolon Road Transfer Station in King City or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales Free of Charge.
  • Cell phone & batteries: Recycle for California, 888-581-8344 or www.recycleforcalifornia.com; GRC Recycling, 877-744-3601 or www.grcrecycling.com
  • Multiple electronics: GreenDisk: www.greendisk.com - batteries, CD/jewel cases, CD/laser disks, diskettes, video tapes, cell phones, toner/laser cartridges, audio tapes, electronics - PDAs/pagers; Gold Circuit, Inc.  (480) 829-0404 or www.goldcircuit.com
  • Earth 911: www.earth911.org or 1-877-earth911 for local environmental information.

Mercury-Containing Items
Large items containing mercury shall be taken to the landfills or transfer station.  A fee will be charged for disposal. 
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Sun Street Transfer Station in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales, Crazy Horse Canyon Landfill in Salinas, or Jolon Road Transfer Station in King City.   Check fee schedule for charges.

Electrical switches and relays. These typically contain about 3.5 grams of mercury each. Mercury switches can be found in some chest freezers, pre-1972 washing machines, sump pumps, electric space heaters, clothes irons, silent light switches, automobile hood and trunk lights, and ABS brakes.
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Thermostats that contain mercury. There is mercury inside the sealed glass "tilt switch" of the old style thermostats (not the newer electronic kind).
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Pilot light sensors. Mercury-containing switches are found in some gas appliances such as stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces, and space heaters.
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Mercury gauges. Some gauges, such as barometers, manometers, blood pressure, and vacuum gauges contain mercury.
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Mercury thermometers. Mercury thermometers typically contain about a half-gram of mercury. Many health clinics, pharmacies and doctor’s offices have thermometer exchange programs that will give you a new mercury-free fever thermometer in exchange for your old one. 
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Mercury-added novelties. Examples include greeting cards that play music when opened; athletic shoes (made before 1997) with flashing lights in soles; and mercury maze games.
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales double bagged or in a sealed container.

Other types of Universal Waste:
Nonempty aerosol cans that contain hazardous materials. Many products in aerosol cans are toxic. And many aerosol cans contain flammables, like butane, as propellants for products like paint. If your aerosol can is labeled with words like TOXIC or FLAMMABLE don’t put it in the trash unless it is completely empty.
Recovery options: 

  • May be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facilities at Sun Street in Salinas or Johnson Canyon Landfill in Gonzales. 

The landfills, transfer stations and Household Hazardous Waste Facility have some free services for residential customers.  For some items there are disposal charges. Please consult rate sheet at www.svswa.org.  Commercial businesses will be charged for disposal.
For a list of other recovery options go to:
Earth 911: www.earth911.org or 1-877-earth911 for local environmental information.
Monterey County Environmental Health Department Reuse Guide: www.co.monterey.ca.us/health/EnvironmentalHealth/pdf/ReuseGuide.pdf
California Materials Exchange, Cal MAX; http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Calmax/
Monterey Bay area’s Material Reuse Network, ProMAX: www.promaxreuse.org
The Freecycle Network™:  Made of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. www.freecycle.org
Craigslist: Local community classifieds and forums - a place to find jobs, housing, goods & services, social activities, advice, community information, and just about anything else -- all for free, and in a relatively non-commercial environment.   www.craigslist.com
Recycleworks of San Mateo County: www.recycleworks.com
Excess Access, Linking surplus with need.  415-242-6041 or www.excessaccess.com  
CIWMB Reuse Links and Resources for California: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Reuse/Links/
CIWMB Recyclestore: A link to manufacturers of recycled content products. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Recyclestore
Resource Area for Teachers, receives donations of goods for teaching projects. 408 - 451-1420 or www.raft.net: 
Last Chance Mercantile at Monterey Regional Waste Management District - accepts goods for resale. www.mrwmd.org: 
Recycle or Buy Back Centers. www.co.monterey.ca.us/health/EnvironmentalHealth/pdf/ReuseGuide.pdf
Recycle through local nonprofit organizations, such as, Discovery Shop 443-8879 or http://www.cancer.org/docroot/COM/content/div_CA/COM_5_1_Discovery_Shops_Directory_11428.asp?sitearea=VOL; Savers Thrift Stores (831) 444-9551 or www.savers.com; St. Vincent de Paul 831-917-1006 or www.svdpusa.org; SPCA 877- 477-2262 or www.spcamc.org , Goodwill Industries (831) 755-8668 or www.scgoodwill.org  , and Salvation Army 831-443-9655 or www.salvationarmy.org  .
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation 678-419-9990 or www.rbrc.org