Interested in your business officially going green? Check out the San Mateo County Green Business Program to learn more.

Hazardous and Universal Waste, including Electronic Waste, are rapidly growing problems that account for significant amounts of toxic waste in landfills. Items such as electronics, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, paints, pesticides, cleaning products, old medications and other chemicals are illegal to put in the garbage or pour down a drain or gutter because they will contaminate the soil, drinking water and air.

Hazardous waste can be one or more of the following: toxic, flammable, corrosive, and reactive. (We encourage you to consider non-toxic alternatives for some of the products you use.)

Again, it is illegal to throw these items in the garbage or pour down the sink or gutter. To learn how to legally, safely and properly dispose of these items, visit the San Mateo County Health Department, RecycleWorks.org, www.FlowsToBay.org, or call (650) 363-4718.

San Mateo County has a Small Quantity Generator Program to provide a low-cost option for businesses and non-profits that generate less than 220 pounds or 27 gallons of hazardous waste per month. Visit www.SMHealth.org/vsqg for more information and to find out if you qualify.

Download a VSQG brochure.

• Car and truck products, such as motor oil and filters, transmission fluids, lubricants and antifreeze
• Cleaning supplies, solvents, flammable solids and liquids, nail polish remover and detergents
• Drain openers
• Furniture and metal polishes
• Lawn care products, such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers
• Latex and oil based paint and paint-related materials, such as stains, thinners, varnishes, roofing tar, adhesives, joint compounds, and other petroleum-based products
• Photo-chemical liquids, acids, bases, neutral oxidizers and swimming pool chemicals
• Propane tanks and aerosol cans (aerosol cans can be recycled if empty)
• Any other materials or products containing volatile chemicals that can catch fire, react or explode, or that are corrosive or toxic.

• Never store hazardous products in food containers.
• Keep hazardous products in separate containers - never combine them to save space.
• NEVER mix chemicals. Mixing even small amounts of chemicals can have dangerous results.
• Do not refill empty containers unless the label states it is acceptable to do so.
• Never remove product labels and always leave products in their original containers.
• Avoid storing hazardous products near sources of heat or flames
• Purchase only what you will need and share extras with a friend of neighbor.
• Make sure containers are clearly labeled, undamaged and sealed tightly.
• Be aware of leaky containers, poor ventilation and the smell of fumes or chemicals.
• Know where flammable materials are in your home and know how to extinguish them.

Look for precautionary statements on product labels such as Caution, Warning, Danger, and Poison to assist you in determining if an item is hazardous waste.

Caution means slightly toxic. If ingested, an ounce to a pint may be fatal to 150 pound adult.
Warning means moderately toxic. It may take a teaspoon to an ounce to be fatal.
Danger means highly toxic. A taste to a teaspoon could be fatal if ingested.
Poison means the most toxic and is highly dangerous!

Source: San Mateo County

CA Integrated Waste Management Board Information Line
(800) 553-2962

Department of Toxic Substances Control (to report hazardous waste violations only)
(800) 698-6942

Poison Control Center
(800) 876-4766

Universal waste, also known as U-waste, is a type of hazardous waste that is generated by both residents and businesses.

As of February 2006, the State of California prohibits placing electronic waste, fluorescent tubes, consumer batteries and mercury thermostats into trash. These items can harm human health and the environment if improperly disposed of. Although these products may not be dangerous to use, most of them contain poisonous 'heavy metals' such as lead, mercury and cadmium that can pollute groundwater near landfills.

• Batteries
• Calculators
• CD and MP3 players
• Cell Phones
• Computers and monitors
• Copy machines
• Fax and answering machines
• Mercury Containing Waste - Fluorescent bulbs and tubes (CFL's), high-intensity lights, sodium vapor lamps, metal halide lamps, and mercury thermometers and switches.
• Microwaves
• Radios
• Stereo equipment
• Tape players and recorders
• Telephones
• Televisions
• VCRs, DVD players and DVRs

Almost anything considered 'electronic' is banned from landfills. Electronic waste, also known as E-Waste, is one of the fastest growing segments of our nation's waste stream. In fact, it accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste that is currently found in landfills.
Source: Clean Air Council

E-Waste contains a variety of toxic components like lead, cadmium and mercury, arsenic and flame retardants, and when dumped in a landfill, these materials can potentially contaminate the soil and ground water, thus impacting surrounding areas. Electronics are made from valuable resources such as precious metals, copper, and engineered plastics, all of which require substantial amounts of energy to process and manufacture. Recycling electronics helps recover valuable materials and as a result, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, saves energy and resources by removing fewer raw materials from the planet.

To find a location nearest you to recycle these items, please visit RecycleWorks or call (888) 442-2666. You can also donate items to several non-profit and local organizations; visit our Don't Toss It page for more information.

Some manufacturers will take back their old equipment and be involved in the reuse and recycling of their equipment.

Dell Computer Exchange

HP Computer Exchange

Gateway Computer Exchange

Apple Computer Exchange

Additional Resources:

California Department of Toxic Substances Control

eRecycle

CFLs, or compact fluorescent lights, are the energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps that consumers have been encouraged to use instead of typical incandescent lights. In fact, many of you have them in your home or business. They use much less electricity; three quarters less in fact.

The Environmental Protection Agency encourages the use of CFLs to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. However, because of the mercury CFLs contain, they must be disposed of carefully. Manufacturers of fluorescent lighting products are working to reduce the amount of mercury content in CFLs, and no mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use, but CFLs release a mercury vapor when broken.

With about 400 million CFLs being sold every year in the United States, it's more important than ever that you don't put them in the garbage or Recycle carts. However, there are other options.

If a fluorescent bulb breaks indoors, the Environmental Protection Agency advises consumers to open a window, have all people leave the room, (making sure no one walks through the breakage area on their way out), and stay out of the area for at least 15 minutes.

Visit the EPA's CFL page for more information, and to download a two page document of recommended steps.

Download a handy lighting identification chart to help identify the various types of lighting and how to handle their disposal.

CA Integrated Waste Management Board Information Line
(800) 553-2962

Department of Toxic Substances Control (to report hazardous waste violations only)
(800) 698-6942

Poison Control Center
(800) 876-4766

For more general recycling and waste reduction information, please visit RecycleWorks of San Mateo County.

Questions? Please contact us.

Language Assistance:
We offer a free Language Line with over 170 different languages through our Customer Service Department. Please contact us for more information.

Recology San Mateo County provides recycling, compost and garbage collection services to the 12 Member Agencies in the RethinkWaste service area.