We all have it. It
’s under our sinks and tucked away in our garages and sheds.
What is it? It’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).
We all have it. It’s under our sinks and tucked away in our garages and sheds. What is it? It’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). HHW is any unwanted household product labeled as flammable, toxic, corrosive or reactive. Common products include: aerosols, automotive fluids, car and household batteries, fertilizers, fluorescent lights, flammable fluids, garden chemicals, helium, household cleaners, latex and oil-based paints and stains, mercury thermometers, pesticides, propane, pool chemicals, sharps, wood preservatives, and used motor oil and filters.
So what do you do with these unwanted toxins? First and foremost, it’s important to keep unwanted household products out of the environment. Improper storage and disposal of HHW has been associated with accidental poisonings, worker health and safety issues, equipment damage, and environmental contamination of surface and groundwater. It is unsafe to dispose of hazardous waste with regular trash or down the drain. HHW contaminates landfills, causes environmental degradation, pollutes the bay and increases risks to public health and safety. Heavy metals such as lead, zinc, copper, nickel, mercury and cadmium can enter the waste stream via residential sewage and urban run-off.
Since 1991, the Santa Clara Countywide Household Hazardous Waste Program has provided residents with a safe, convenient disposal service with year-round access. The program operates almost every Saturday and most Fridays throughout the year at various locations throughout the county. Drop-off events are held the first Friday and Saturday of every month (with holiday exceptions) at our local HHW facility in San Martin.
The HHW Program is free to Santa Clara County residents, but you must make an appointment to attend a drop-off event. Making an appointment assures that among other things, residents will flow smoothly through the site without delay. Also, it prevents traffic delays and risk of accidents. Arriving at your designated appointment time allows more vehicles to flow through the facility than would be possible if everyone showed up at the same time. Appointments are limited.
If you make an appointment and are unable to keep it, please be sure to cancel or reschedule. This frees up your slot and allows other residents to use the program.
Appointments and cancellations can only be made on Monday through Friday 8:30 to 4:30 by calling (408) 299-7300. Proof of Santa Clara County residency, such as a driver’s license or a utility bill, is required at the check-in area on your drop-off day.
Residents are always encouraged to use safer and less toxic alternatives and purchase smaller quantities of hazardous products, but even the smallest quantity must be disposed of properly. The HHW Program is free and easy, so please utilize this wonderful service and help keep our environment clean and safe.
Eco Web Page of the Week: Learn more about the Santa Clara County HHW Program at www.hhw.org .
Eco Fact of the Week: Unused or leftover paints, cleaners, and other reusable products are not considered hazardous waste if they can be safely reused. The HHW collection facility offers a “Reuse Program” for residents interested in obtaining free reusable products. Each drop-off site has a designated area where customers can pick up free products. The reuse program is open on days of the HHW drop-off events. Residents may view collected reusable waste and may take as much as they want at no charge.
Anthony Eulo is a program administrator for the City of Morgan Hill who periodically visits the HHW events. He welcomes your questions, comments, and thoughts and can be reached at 779-7247 or en*****@***********ca.gov. Special thanks to the Santa Clara County HHW program whose Web site provided the information for this column.
