Residents: Paints, Batteries, Chemicals, Fluorescents & Motor Oil
	> What is Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)? > Why Hazardous Waste Must be Brought to a Disposal Facility > Reducing Household Hazardous Waste Pollution > Dropoff Locations for Hazardous Wastes > Details about the Dropoff Locations >

What is Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)?

Hazardous waste is not just produced by industry. Many of the cleaners under the sink and chemicals in the garage are hazardous and should not be released into the environment. HHW includes but is not limited to: paint, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, floor and furniture polish, stains, finishing products, thinners, old gasoline, anti-freeze, transmission, brake and steering fluids, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, photo chemicals, pool supplies, fluorescent bulbs, thermometers, blood pressure devices, and batteries.For more detailed information on hazardous waste, go to the Santa Barbara County website at lessismore.org.

Why Hazardous Waste Must be Brought to a Disposal Facility

HHW must be brought to a disposal facility because it contains chemicals known to endanger both human health and the environment. Please do not pour any chemicals down the drain. Sewage treatment plants do not extract the hazardous compounds and they end up in the ocean. Do not pour chemicals or motor oil on the ground since chemicals can not only poison the soil, but also eventually find their way into the water table. Substances can migrate a long distance underground, and water tables in remote regions often have a layer of petroleum on top. This is the water that we often drink.

Reducing Household Hazardous Waste Pollution

The most environmentally friendly solution to HHW is to not produce it. Use the least toxic cleaners and paints possible. Buy rechargeable batteries and use them many times before they must be recycled. Consider buying just one or two sizes such as AA and AAA, and buy only appliances that require those sizes. Offer uneeded items to friends and neighbors, especially if you are moving. When you take waste to the Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center, they will put it in a reuse cabinet if it is still usable, so get rid of things you don't need while they are still viable. Always keep items in their original containers. The ABOP Recycling Center offers free latex Paint! Check it out before you buy.

Looking for less toxic alternatives? See the following sites for less or non-toxic solutions and details on how to apply them.

All Types of Household Hazardous Waste
Household Cleaners
Alternatives to Pesticides

All of the disposal and recycling facilities are free to residents unless otherwise indicated. Businesses have separate regulations. Currently, there is no collection program for household hazardous wastes. If you are unable to transport items to the dropoff site, ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to bring your wastes when they bring their own. If you live in a retirement home, ask the managment what program they have for collecting household hazardous waste. If they don't have one, contact a recycling specialist that can help them set it up. Information about the dropoff centers is located below the chart in the next sections.

Details about the Dropoff Locations

Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center
The Center is open to residents on weekends, and is located on the UCSB campus. For contact information, details, map, and hours, see the Community Household Hazardous Waste Site Flyer in English and Spanish. Driving north on 101, take the Los Carneros exit, turn left on Los Carneros, cross Hollister, and before you get to Isla Vista, turn left on Mesa Road (stoplight). Follow signs to the site.

ABOP Facility/Recycling Center
The City of Santa Barbara’s Antifreeze, Batteries, Oil, and Paint (ABOP) facility accepts these items from residents. The ABOP is now operated by MarBorg and is located on the same site as the Recycling Center on 132 Nopalitos Way. Take Milpas toward the ocean, turn right on Cacique, and right on Nopalitos. The entrance to the facility is right next to United Refrigeration on Nopalitos. The facility is open to residents of Santa Barbara, Montecito, and vicinity, and is open on Monday through Saturday, from 9:00am to 4:00pm. If you have any questions, please call MarBorg at 963-1852.

South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station
The Transfer Station located at 4430 Calle Real used to be know as "the dump". Now waste is simply accepted there and transferred to other locations. Driving north on 101, take the El Sueno exit, turn left on Calle Real, and about halfway between El Sueno and Turnpike, you will see a sign for the transfer station. Go uphill. They only accept a few hazardous items at no cost. If you bring other chemicals, the minimum charge is $120. They also accept electronics, construction waste for recycling, and trash.