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Residential Household Toxics
On this page: What are household toxics? | Examples of common household toxics | About batteries | Steps for a healthier home
Please note that the Household Toxics Facility will be closed for annual maintenance from December 21, 2009 through January 6, 2010.

Household Toxics Facility

The Agency sponsors a collection program where Sonoma County residents can properly dispose of items such as old paint products, automotive fluids, garden chemicals, expired medications and spent fluorescent lamps.

Located at Central Disposal Site, the Household Toxics Facility is open every week for free drop-off of toxics from Sonoma County residents. Bring your ID to prove residency.

Appointment: Not required.

Fees: No fees for residents.

Hours: Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7:30am-2:30pm

Location: Central Disposal Site, 500 Mecham Rd., Petaluma

Directions: Take Hwy. 101 to the Cotati off-ramp Take Hwy. 116 west toward Sebastopol Left on Stony Point S. Right on Mecham Rd. The Central Disposal Site is located on the right.

Transportation & packing: State transportation laws limit each vehicle to a maximum of 15 gallons of liquid (with a maximum of 5 gallons per container) or 125 pounds of solid material • Never mix chemicals • Place in sealed containers in the trunk, packed to prevent spills • Syringes/needles must be in a sealed and labeled approved container.

Not accepted: Explosives or ammunition • Radioactive materials • Biological wastes (except syringes) • Electronics

Toxics Rover pick up service:
Have your toxics picked up from your home. Call 877-747-1870 or 795-2025 to make an appointment.Limited appointments available. A $50 fee will be charged for residential pick up. Please note that fees may change without notice. Limited free pickup available for seniors over 80 years of age and housebound residents.
2009-10 Community Toxics Collections Schedule Every week, on Tuesdays from 4-8 pm., there will be a toxics collection somewhere in Sonoma County. Bring your ID to prove residency.

Appointment required. Call 877-747-1870 or 795-2025 Locations of Community Toxics Collections will be provided when you schedule your appointment.
April 2009
Apr 21 Healdsburg
Apr 28 Sonoma

May 2009
May 5 Santa Rosa, NW
May 12 Oakmont
May 19 Bodega Bay
May 26 Cloverdale

June 2009
Jun 2 Santa Rosa, NE
Jun 9 Petaluma
Jun 16 Santa Rosa, SW
Jun 23 Windsor
Jun 30 Santa Rosa, SE


July 2009
Jul 7 Larkfield
Jul 14 Oakmont
Jul 21 Rohnert Park
Jul 28 Sebastopol

August 2009
Aug 4 Guerneville
Aug 11 Santa Rosa, NE
Aug 18 Healdsburg
Aug 25 Santa Rosa, NW


September 2009
Sept 1 Sonoma
Sept 8 Santa Rosa, SE
Sept 15 Cloverdale
Sept 22 Oakmont
Sept 29 Petaluma
October 2009
Oct 6 Glen Ellen
Oct 13 Kenwood
Oct 20 Windsor
Oct 27 Santa Rosa, SE


November 2009
Nov 3 Forestville
Nov 10 Santa Rosa, NW
Nov 17 Santa Rosa, NE

December 2009
Dec 1 Sebastopol
Dec 8 Cotati
Dec 15 Oakmont
January 2010
Jan 5 Petaluma
Jan 12 Santa Rosa, SE
Jan 19 Healdsburg
Jan 26 Santa Rosa, NE


February 2010
Feb 2 Larkfield
Feb 9 Rohnert Park
Feb 16 Santa Rosa, NW
Feb 23 Monte Rio


March 2010
Mar 2 Sebastopol
Mar 9 Clovedale
Mar 16 Santa Rosa, NE
Mar 23 Windsor
Mar 30 Sonoma


April 2010
Apr 6 Santa Rosa, SW
Apr 13 Guerneville
Apr 20 Boyes Hot Springs
What are household toxics?
Household toxics are any products that have the potential to harm people, animals or the environment. Federal law requires that products with hazardous ingredients be labeled. The label also indicates how hazardous the product is. In order of worst to least hazardous, the labels are: Poison, Danger, Warning, Caution and Precautionary statements.
Examples of common household toxics
In the garage
Antifreeze
Motor oil
Oil filters
Gasoline
Waxes
& polishes
Auto
batteries
Engine
cleaners
Brake fluid
Fuel such as butane, diesel, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil
In the workshop
Paint,
all kinds
Paint thinner
Wood
preservatives
Wood finishes
Glues &
adhesives
Solvents
Photo
chemicals
In the house
Ammonia-based cleaners
Bleach-based
cleaners
Oven
cleaners
Aerosol sprays
Polishes
Nail polish
& remover
Medications
& syringes
Batteries
In the yard
Pesticides
Fungicides
Weed
killers
Pool
chemicals
About household batteries Household batteries can't be disposed in the garbage. All kinds of alkaline, rechargeable and button batteries are accepted at the Household Toxics Facility.

For residents: drop-off all kinds of spent household batteries
Put up to four standard AA, AAA, C or D alkaline batteries in a single plastic bag. To prevent shorting, no more than four batteries should be placed together. Non-alkaline batteires should be individually taped with electrical or similar tape.

Cloverdale
Ace Hardware
Cotati
True Value Hardware
Guerneville
True Value Hardware
Petaluma

Whole Foods Market
Rohnert Park
Animal Shelter
City Finance Department
City Hall
Codding Recreation Center (Senior Center)
Community Center
Public Safety Building
Public Works
Senior Center
Sports Center
Santa Rosa
Ace Hardware
Computer Recycling Center/Computers and Education
Flamingo Auto Repair
Interstate Battery of the North Bay
REI
Whole Foods Market
Sebastopol
City Hall
Fire Department
Sebastopol Hardware Center
Sebastopol Regional Library
Whole Foods Market
Sonoma

Whole Foods Market


Drop-off rechargeable batteries at the following retailers
By law, retailers selling rechargeable batteries are reequired to take back used rechargeable batteries from their customers.

Rechargeable batteries are typically found in cordless phones, power tools and laptops. Types include: Lithium ion, NiCad, nickel metal hydride and small sealed lead-acid batteries

The following sites are Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) sites. When visiting these locations, drop off batteries at Customer Service areas:
Ace Hardware Stores
AT&T Wireless
Best Buy
Friedman's Home Improvement
Home Depot
Lowe's
Mead Clark Lumber Company
Office Depot
Orchard Supply Hardware
Radio Shack
Sears
Staples
Wal-Mart
Follow these steps for a healthier home
1. Reduce the need for garden and yard pesticides
Pesticides are poisons. Besides killing bugs and weeds, they may also poison children and pets, irritate eyes or skin, cause cancer, cause birth defects or kill birds and fish.

Alternatives:
Build healthy soil by adding compost or aged manure
and using slow-release organic fertilizers.
Buy plants that will grow well in this
climate and in your yard.
Try non-chemical products to control pests,
such as teflon tape for root weevils or soap and water solutions for aphids

2. Use less toxic cleaners
Some cleaners contain very hazardous ingredients that can burn your eyes, skin and lungs. Look for safer name-brand substitutes at your grocery store, or use simple alternatives such as baking soda and vinegar.

Introduction | Residential Recycling | Curbside Recycling | Home Composting | Less Toxic Pest Management | Business Resources | Business Hazardous Waste | Special Events Recycling | Business Food Waste Composting | About the Agency | Building Green | Buy Recycled | Waste Reduction | Disposal Sites | Contact us & order free resources | Links

This site is sponsored by the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency.
Contact us at eco-desk@recyclenow.org