Hazardous & Special Waste Disposal

Material List (Hazardous or Special Waste)

Ever wonder how to dispose of that old mattress or that burnt out light bulb?   Hazardous and special waste cannot be placed in the regular trash and needs to be disposed of in a specific manner in order to avoid environmental pollution, health hazards and other issues.  Please visit our material list page to learn about the disposal of the following materials and more:

• Appliances and Furniture
• Batteries
• Carpets
• Electronics
• Light Bulbs
• Mattresses
• Medical Sharps
• Motor Oil & Filters
• Pharmaceuticals

Safer Alternatives to Hazardous Products

Most hazardous products like ammonia products, paint strippers and wood polishes have safer, cleaner alternatives.  For instance, instead of using ammonia to clean surfaces a mixture of vinegar and salt can do just as good of a job cleaning and sanitizing.  Paint strippers can be replaced by sandpaper.  If you still want to use a paint stripper water and alkali-based products are less toxic than solvent-based types.  Lastly, for wood polishes instead of using a potentially toxic flammable product polishes containing mineral oil and citrus oil are a safer alternative and less toxic than a petroleum based one.

Another tip to live by is to buy only what you need of automotive and home maintenance items and follow label instructions!  Remember you can prevent hazardous waste by choosing non-toxic cleaning and pest control products!  Alternatives are easy to find and can be beneficial to everyone and the environment.

To learn more about specific safer alternatives to hazardous products visit our safer alternatives to hazardous products page.

Used Motor Oil Recycling

It is important to the City of Arcata to reduce the improper storage of used motor oil.  If improperly disposed of used motor oil can cause harm to the environment and our health.  Currently, the City of Arcata has one certified collection center (CCC) to dispose of used motor oil.  To learn more about the effects of motor oil on our environment and to find a certified collection center (CCC) please visit our used motor oil recycling page.

Medication and Medical Sharps Drop-Off at HWMA

Scan the QR codes below or visit Med-Project.org to learn more about the proper disposal of your unwanted and expired medication.