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Household Hazardous Waste

Submitted by simonk on Mon, 09/15/2008 - 11:03.

New Door-to-Door HHW Program

For Residents in Belmont, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, San Carlos, San Mateo & West Bay Sanitary District

Properly and safely managing residential Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and other items such as fluorescent lamps, computers and sharps is now as easy as picking up the phone or sending and email.  Residents in Belmont, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, San Carlos, city of San Mateo, and the West Bay Sanitary District just need to follow this easy three-step process and Curbside Inc. (contracted by RethinkWaste) will conveniently collect from your home your HHW and other eligible items that cannot be disposed of in your garbage or recycled in your curbside recycling program.

This program is for all residents (single-family, condos, townhomes and apartments) of the communities listed above. Residents do not need to pay a separate fee for using the Door-to-Door program, the costs are already included in your garbage bills. Residents may schedule as many appointments as needed.

This program will launch in East Palo Alto starting September 1, 2010.  Until then, East Palo Alto residents can continue using the County's HHW program. The County HHW program is available to San Mateo County residents, including those that are participating in the Door-to-Door HHW Program.

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Steps for Door-to-Door Pickup

Step 1:

Call Curbside Inc. at 800-HHW-PKUP (800-449-7587) or email hotline@curbsideinc.com and explain the type and quantity of waste you wish to have picked up from your home. A collection appointment will be scheduled at this time.

Step 2:

Curbside Inc. will then send you a Collection Kit within a few days, which includes an instruction sheet, plastic bag for your materials, labels for the items and a tie for the bag.

Step 3:

Follow the Kit instructions to properly prepare your materials. Use the provided labels to ensure items are clearly marked. Containers must have lids, and be of 5-gallon capacity or less. Some items must be placed separately next to the bag. Set out your items for collection by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day near your home as directed.

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What's Accepted

The following list of materials CAN be collected through the Door-to-Door program:
  • Paint & Painting Supplies
  • Insecticides
  • Herbicides
  • Automotive Parts
  • Fluorescent Lights, Tubes & CFLs
  • Batteries
  • Computer Monitors, Laptops, Computers
  • Cell Phones
  • TVs
  • Consumer Electronics
  • Cleaning Products
  • Pesticides
  • Solvents
  • Non-Empty Aerosol Cans
  • Medicines (non-controlled pills and capsules only)
  • Sharps (Sharps only mail back option also available)
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What's NOT Accepted

 The following list of items will NOT be collected through the Door-to-Door program:

  • Biological Waste
  • Ammunition
  • Leaking Containers
  • Large Appliances
  • Commercial Chemicals (for business use)
  • Radioactive Materials
  • Explosives
  • Fire Extinguishers
  • Containers over 5 gallons
  • Household Garbage

For more information and details, please click the link for the HHW Materials Instruction Sheet.

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County HHW Program

For Residents in Atherton, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Redwood City & San Mateo County

  The words “hazardous waste” may conjure images in your mind of toxic green slime oozing out of huge industrial barrels. But did you know you probably have hazardous waste in your own home? Most households do. In fact, most families use about 60 toxic products! Common items like cans of leftover paint, dead batteries, cans of ant and roach spray, used motor oil, and weed killer can pollute the soil and water—and harm your trash collector—if you throw them in the garbage.

Visit the San Mateo County Department of Health or call (650) 372-6200 to find out about safe, convenient and free disposal options.

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