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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE (HHW)
What is Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)?
You may have many items in your home considered to be "Household Hazardous Waste". Some of these items are paint, used oil, batteries, old car batteries, television and computer monitors and manyother items. It is unhealthy to dump this type of waste in regular landfills, so the HHW program helps to ensure their proper storage and disposal.
Hazardous wastes from all sources must be properly handled and recycled or disposed of to prevent injury and potential contamination of solid waste landfills. To facilitate collection of hazardous waste from households and certain businesses called Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG),the regulations for household hazardous waste are less stringent than those for businesses. Following is information to help you determine the appropriate requirements and collection opportunities:
- Conditionally Exempt Small quantity Generator (CESQG) - a business concern that meets certain criteria
- Hazardous Waste - hazardous waste generated Household
- Household - means a single detached residence or a single unit of a multiple residence unit and all appurtenant structures
- Household Hazardous Waste - means any hazardous waste generated incidental to owning and/or maintaining a place of residence. Household hazardous waste does not include any waste generated in the course of operating a business at a residence.
- Household Do-It-Yourselfer Used Oil - oil derived from households
Where can I take my HHW?
The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program provides the following opportunities for disposal and recycling of household hazardous wastes at no charge to residents of Tulare County:
- Permanent HHW Collection Center - Our permanent HHW collection facility is located at the City of Visalia Corporation Yard, 335 N. Cain St. (north of E. Main) in Visalia - open every Saturday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.
- Mobile One-Day Collection Events - We also offer temporary collection events throughout the year.
- Used Motor Oil - Over 40 locations for "do-it-yourselfers" to take used motor oil are operated in partnership with private businesses.
- Electronic Waste (E-Waste) - Televisions, computer monitors, and electronic devices with video display screens greater than four inches measured diagonally are accepted at no charge from residents, businesses, schools, nonprofits and local government.
- Tulare County Recycling Buyback Center - 26951 Road 140, Visalia. Hours are Monday - Saturday 8 am to 4 pm. 559-741-1766.
- E-Recycling Solutions - Centers are located at:
- 312 NW 3rd Ave., Visalia. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
- 30498 Diagonal 68, Goshen. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and Saturdays from 8 am to 3 pm.
Also accepted, free of charge, are laptops, computers, computer peripherals, cellular phones, fax machines, printers, DVD players and VCRs. Copiers and mainframes are also accepted for a nominal fee. For further information, or package and haul services, please call 559-651-1032 or 805-0649.
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Is there a penalty if I just leave my waste somewhere?
The abandonment of a hazardous waste constitutes illegal disposal, which is subject to a civil penalty of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each violation. Never leave hazardous waste outside of a closed collection location.
How should I transport my Household Hazardous Waste or Universal Waste?
We strongly recommend that household hazardous waste be in closed containers and packed in a manner that prevents the containers from tipping, spilling, or breaking during transport. Do not mix different household hazardous wastes within the same container. Due to permit restrictions, Universal Waste is the only hazardous waste accepted from non-household generators. (See Universal Waste information listed under each type of universal waste to determine recycling opportunities offered to non-households.)
Individuals who generate household hazardous waste can transport it to any of the following recycling opportunities:
Is there anything special I should do for my own personal safety when transporting my household hazardous waste?
For your safety when transporting materials to the collection event, we recommend placing individual containers within plastic tubs, or in cardboard boxes lined with plastic. Place different hazard classes (poisons, corrosives, oxidizers, flammables) into separate boxes so that if one container leaks it will not cause a chemical reaction with an incompatible material. No explosives, infectious, radioactive, or electronic wastes, or compressed gasses will be accepted. Please, no hazardous wastes from businesses.
Do I need to worry about any type of special permits to transport my waste?
An individual transporting household hazardous waste to one of the above collection options is exempt from the requirements to use a hazardous waste manifest and a registered hazardous waste hauler if all of the following conditions are met:
- Except as provided for spent automotive-type lead acid storage batteries (below), the total amount of household hazardous waste transported by an individual or universal waste transported by a CESQUWG to one of the above collection options shall not exceed:
- A total liquid volume of five gallons or a total dry weight of 50 pounds.
- If the hazardous waste transported is both liquid and non-liquid, the total amount transported shall not exceed a combined weight of 50 pounds.
- The household hazardous waste and CESQUWG universal waste that is transported shall be in closed containers and packed in a manner that prevents the containers from tipping, spilling, or breaking during transport. Different household hazardous wastes or different CESQUWG hazardous wastes shall not be mixed within a container before or during transport.
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Is there a limit to how much household hazardous waste I can take to a facility?
By law, the total amount of household hazardous waste or hazardous waste transported to a household hazardous waste collection facility by either the person or a CESQG shall not exceed a total liquid volume of five gallons or a total dry weight of 50 pounds. If the hazardous waste transported is both liquid and non-liquid, the total amount transported shall not exceed a combined weight of 50 pounds. A public agency may choose to increase the liquid volume and dry weight to a liquid volume of 15 gallons and a dry weight of 125 pounds under certain circumstances. (If the public agency finds that the local household hazardous waste collection program operated by that public agency, or its contractor, has adequate public education programs to inform the public on proper techniques for packaging and transporting the household hazardous waste to the program's household hazardous waste collection facilities.)
What about my old car batteries?
Automotive-type lead acid storage batteries are accepted for recycling at virtually all retailers that sell these types of batteries. A retailer will often pay a "core charge" or offer a rebate on purchase of a new battery. Households and non-households (e.g., automobile owner, service station operator, retail store operator) generating, storing, and transporting automotive-type lead acid storage batteries according to the following provisions are otherwise exempted from the requirements governing hazardous waste:
- Generates in one year, stores at one time, or transports at one time in one vehicle ten or fewer spent lead-acid storage batteries of the above type; and
- Generates in one year, stores at one time, or transports at one time in one vehicle ten or fewer spent lead-acid storage batteries of the above type; and
Automotive-type lead acid storage batteries are accepted at the Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility and Mobile One-Day HHW Collection Events. However, when possible we request that you recycle these batteries at retail facilities that accept them.
How can I find out more about lead-acid batteries?
You may refer to the Management Of Spent Lead-Acid Batteries fact sheet for further information.
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Where do I take my other recyclable items that are not considered "hazardous"?
Please visit Tulare County's site for more information on these items and where you can dispose of them.
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