What Doesn't Go In your Garbage Bin?
Keeping Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) out of your bin is part of state law.
State law forbids placing many common household items like batteries, electronics, and fluorescent lamps in your garbage bin. These items — and others listed below on this page — are considered Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). Keeping HHW out of your bin helps protect both the environment and the people who collect and sort your waste. The good news is that many HHW items can be picked up from your home for free. When you use free curbside pickup, your HHW is properly disposed of, and our sorters can focus on recovering more recyclables from your waste. Placer County residents can also drop off Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) free of charge, daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Items
These items are HHW and cannot go in your bin.
- Aerosol cans
- Antifreeze
- Batteries
- Drain cleaners
- Electronic items (TVs, computer monitors, cell phones)
- Cooking fats, oils and grease (FOG)
- Glue and adhesives
- Household cleaners
- Medications
- Oven cleaners
- Paints
- Pesticides
- Pool cleaners
- Sharps
- Solvents
- Used oil
- Waste containing asbestos
- Items containing mercury, like thermometers and fluorescent lights
Household products are probably hazardous and considered Household Hazardous Waste if any of these warnings are on the label:
- Danger
- Poison/Toxic
- Corrosive/Acid
- Reactive/Explosive
- Ignitable/Flammable
- Environmental Hazard
- Caution/Warning
Free Curbside Pickup of HHW
Only certain Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) items are accepted for free curbside pickup.
This service is not available in all areas. Visit our They Collect page to check if this program is available in your area.
Please do not leave items out unless you have contacted your waste hauler and they have given you an appointment. Items will not be picked up without an appointment.
Properly Identify Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
The Environmental Protection Agency considers certain household products that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances or that are corrosive or toxic as household hazardous waste. The law forbids placing hazardous items in your trash. This page will help you identify HHWs in your home to ensure they don’t end up in your bin.
How do you properly dispose of HHW?
Placer County residents can drop off household hazardous waste (HHW) at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) free of charge, daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find our location and hours here. Check with your local hauler to find out whether they offer curbside pickup of HHW and whether you can schedule a pickup.
