HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
Household hazardous wastes are any materials that may cause a human or environmental hazard when disposed of improperly. These wastes can cause serious threats to humans, wildlife, and the environment.
Products such as pesticides, herbicides, bleach, cleaners, fertilizers and auto fluids (used oil, latex paint, antifreeze, gas carburetor fluid, etc.) should never be poured down the drain or dumped on the ground, into storm drains, or in the trash. Vacaville's Household Hazardous Waste facility, located at the Recology Vacaville Solano Recycling Facility, accepts all household toxics for FREE disposal to Vacaville, Dixon and Unincorporated Solano County residents.
No appointment is necessary to drop off household hazardous waste. A photo ID and proof of residence (driver’s license or a Recology bill) are required.
For more information, visit Recology Household Hazardous Waste
ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
These are some of the common items accepted at Recology’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility. |
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NOTE: Under California state law, residents can only transport up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of material at a time to the household hazardous waste facility. | ||
UNACCEPTED MATERIALS These items are not accepted at the Recology Household Hazardous Waste facility |
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CURBSIDE MOTOR OIL & FILTER RECYCLING
When used motor oil is dumped on the ground, poured down the drain or placed in garbage cans, it can pollute your water supply, endangering the health of your family and neighbors. It is illegal to discard used oil and filters; they must be taken to a collection center or collected through Vacaville's curbside used oil and filter collection service.
CURBSIDE COLLECTION
To have your used oil picked up curbside, please call Recology Vacaville Solano at 448-2945 to request a free oil jug and filter bag. Once you receive the bag, put your used oil in the jug and your filter (drained) in the bag. Place the jug and bag next to your blue recycle bin or your green yard waste bin on your regular garbage collection day. The driver will leave you an empty filter bag and oil jug for your next oil change. Please put only used oil in your jug and be sure to drain your filter completely before placing it in the bag.
CERTIFIED USED OIL COLLECTION CENTERS
CalRecycle encourages the recycling of used motor oil by certifying used oil recycling collection centers throughout the state. Certified Used Oil Collection Centers will take uncontaminated used motor oil from the public and will pay you 40¢ a gallon.
Please note that under California state law, residents may transport up to 55 gallons of used oil at one time, and no container may be greater than 5 gallons in size, regardless of content. Most centers will take up to 5 gallons at a time but privately owned Collection Centers may have additional limitations and specifications. Call the Center you wish to use to inquire about specifications and quantity limits.
For a list of used oil and filter collection centers, please visit Solano County's website.
BATTERY DISPOSAL
BATTERY RECYCLING BAGS ARE HERE!
Battery recycling is easier than ever.
Each year, nearly 3 billion batteries are disposed of in landfills. Batteries contain corrosive and toxic materials that pose environmental and health hazards when disposed of improperly. Instead of tossing your dead batteries in the trash, take advantage of the FREE and convenient battery recycling options!
For more information on how to safely use and dispose of household and automotive batteries, visit CalRecycle.
PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE
It is important to properly dispose of unused prescription medications and other pharmaceutical waste to ensure that it does not end up in the hands of kids, on the streets, or in our waterways.
IMPROPER DISPOSAL IS HARMFUL
If the medication is thrown away, it is collected, compressed and sent to the landfill where over time it decomposes, and rain and moisture leach from the landfill into groundwater or local streams polluting local water sources. Unwanted medicine disposed in the trash can also be stolen and used, potentially resulting in illness or death.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
The City of Vacaville Utilities Division, Water Quality, in cooperation with the Vacaville Police Department and the City of Vacaville Recycling Program tries to hold one day collection events about twice a year. At these events, residents can bring their expired or unwanted medications for safe and secure disposal. It is best to remove or black out any information on the medication bottles or even remove the medications from the bottles or blister packs. Please note, these events DO NOT collect illegal substances.
If for some reason you are unable to wait for an upcoming event, many pharmacies offer safe disposal options for customers. Reach out to your local pharmacy to inquire.
For questions about upcoming drug take-back days, please call the City of Vacaville Recycling Coordinator at (707) 469-6509 or visit Drug Take Back
HHW REUSE PROGRAM
The Reuse Center is located at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 855 ½ Davis Street and is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Vacaville offers a reuse program in which residents can select from a variety of free useful household products such as paints, automotive products, cleaners, and garden chemicals. When products that are nearly new are dropped off at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, they are redistributed through the Reuse Center to other residents for free.
PAINT
It’s more convenient than ever to recycle paint in California. Since the start of the California paint stewardship program on October 19, 2012, PaintCare has set up 650 drop-off sites in California where the public can take unwanted, leftover paint for recycling. Most of these sites are at paint retailers (paint, hardware, and home improvement stores) that have volunteered to take back paint, and they are available to any resident and business in California. These stores accept paint whenever they are open for business.
For California Paint Stewardship program see PaintCare California
For Paint Product Management see CalReycle
Vacaville PaintCare locations:
- Recology Vacaville Solano Household Hazardous Waste Center 855 1/2 Davis Street, Vacaville, CA 95687 OPEN: Saturday 9:00am to 3:00pm. Call hours Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm 707-448-2945
STORM DRAIN AWARENESS
The purchase of these curb markers was made possible by the receipt of a used oil recycling grant from the CalRecycle. The state hopes that the funding of these markers will assist in educating residents that the storm drain is no place for dumping chemicals such as used automotive oil.
Please dispose of hazardous waste responsibly by taking it to Recology Vacaville Solano’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 855 ½ Davis Street. The Household Hazardous Waste Facility is open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and no appointment is needed. For more information about this facility, please contact Recology Vacaville Solano at (707) 448-2945 or visit Recology Vacaville Online.
Did You Know?
Used oil is the single largest source (over 40%) of water pollution in the U.S. harbor and water ways.
Ethylene glycol, the major component of antifreeze is poisonous in concentrated form to people, fish, birds and pets. In addition to ethylene glycol, used antifreeze contains heavy metal contaminants it picks up from the engine during use. If you have a vehicle that is leaking antifreeze or oil, please put a drip tray under your car to catch the leaks. Clean up driveway stains with kitty litter and a broom. Hosing off the driveway will wash the chemicals into the storm drain.
Soap suds from washing your car, rinse water from painting, pet waste, pesticides, plastics and yard waste can all cause environmental problems when disposed of in a storm drains. Wash vehicles at a commercial car wash that treats its waste water. Make sure contractors clean up responsibly and avoid washing paint brushes and other tools in the gutter.