Daly City – Residents looking for a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of household hazardous waste are encouraged to make an appointment for a special collection in Daly City on Saturday, March 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the main parking lot at City Hall, 333 90th Street, near the intersection of Sullivan Avenue. Appointments are available in 15-minute increments throughout the morning and may be made online at www.smhealth.org/hhw or by calling the San Mateo County Environmental Health reservation line at (650) 363-4718.

The service is FREE and available to all San Mateo County residents. Typical household hazardous waste items include paint, solvents, insecticides and herbicides, antifreeze and other automotive products, pool chemicals, fluorescent lights, and personal care products. Materials that will NOT be accepted include electronic waste (televisions, computers, cell phones), asbestos, and explosives. Pharmaceuticals are not accepted at the event, but may be disposed at the Daly City Police Department during normal business hours and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

It is unlawful to dispose many types of common household waste into landfill-bound residential and commercial garbage receptacles. Materials that are classified as hazardous include paint, motor oil, mercury thermometers, and fluorescent lights. Materials banned from California’s landfills must be disposed of properly. The household hazardous waste collection event at City Hall on Saturday, March 10 is the least expensive way for residents to properly dispose of hazardous items.

Daly City will be hosting an electronics waste (e-waste) recycling event at City Hall the weekend of June 23 and 24. The e-waste collection will provide residents with a second chance to recycle unwanted computers, televisions, cell phones, and other electronic components. A similar event held at City Hall on February 24 and 25, 2007 yielded more than 100 tons of e-waste – enough to fill eight 45-foot trailers.
Consumers concerned about hazardous waste should use the least toxic products necessary for the intended purpose and never buy more than needed. Hazardous chemical-containing products used at home should be stored in safe places away from children, pets, and fire sources. It is unlawful to put hazardous materials in the trash, flush them down toilets or dump them in drains. Nothing other than rainwater should ever be discharged into a storm drain. All storm drains in Daly City flow directly to the ocean or Bay without treatment.

The City of Daly City is hosting two more household hazardous waste collection events in 2007; Saturday, June 30 and Saturday, September 8. Residents who are unable to participate in the March 10 event are encouraged to plan for a future collection