Department of Public Utilities

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and other energy-efficient lighting such as linear fluorescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps contain a very small amount of mercury, an element essential to achieving energy savings. While these lamps help consumers and businesses cut their lighting energy usage and reduce costs, it is important that any product containing mercury be properly managed when it becomes waste to protect public health and the environment.

Click on the link below to see a list of businesses in the Fresno area that recycle small household amounts of CFL bulbs.

Fresno Area Bulbs, Batteries & Paint Recyclers

Additional information about fluorescent bulb disposal can be found at www.lamprecycle.org.

An estimated 10% of all paint sold is leftover – that’s approximately 80 million gallons each year in the United States. The majority of this paint goes unused.

Many people have leftover paint because it’s not easy for homeowners and DIY’ers to know how much paint to purchase in the first place. There are a number of paint calculators available to help estimate the amount of paint to buy for a project.

If you have no need for leftover paint for touchups or other small projects, we encourage the donation of paint to community groups, artists, friends, relatives, or anyone else who may be able to put the leftover paint to good use. If you’ve run out of ways to use up your leftover paint, it can be taken to a participating Paint Care retailer for recycling.  Left over paint can also be taken to a HHW facility, or an HHW event.

Click on the link below to see a list of businesses in the Fresno area that recycle small household amounts of paint.

Fresno Area Bulbs, Batteries & Paint Recyclers

Additional information about paint disposal can be found at www.paintcare.org.

“Sharps” is the term used to describe any item that is capable of puncturing the skin such as syringes, needles, lancets, scalpels, etc. Because these “sharps” potentially have disease-carrying blood or other bodily fluids on them, they are capable of “injecting” that blood or fluid into anyone who comes in contact with them.

SHARPS ARE BANNED FROM THE LANDFILL. All home-generated sharps (needles) must be disposed of properly – they CANNOT be placed in any cart.

WAYS TO DISPOSE OF SHARPS:
To better serve our community against the illegal and uncontrolled disposal of sharps and pharmaceutical waste, the City of Fresno, in partnership with the County of Fresno, has placed special receiving kiosks at strategically-selected locations throughout the City.

The City’s innovative Sharps Disposal Program helps to address a state mandate (AB 333) making the disposal of sharps and pharmaceuticals (medications) in landfills illegal.

The kiosks are secure and are placed near select police or fire stations. Each of the safe and secure locations are open 24 hours and are easy to use. The red kiosk is for sharps and the white/blue kiosk is for pharmaceuticals/medication.

All materials placed in the kiosks must be placed in a secure rigid plastic or tin container (such as a laundry soap or bleach bottle), no larger than one gallon in size with a screw lid or top.

Other options for sharps disposal include:

• Many sharps manufacturers offer mail-back services for their products. Contact them directly for disposal options.
• Sharps may also be disposed of at the Fresno County HHW facility or event. Contact Fresno County at (559) 600-4259 or visit their website for more information. All used sharps for disposal in Fresno County MUST be in a rigid container (like a laundry soap or bleach bottle, or a coffee can) with the lid on and taped shut.

Click on the link below to see a list of locations in the Fresno area that accept sharps for disposal.

Fresno Area Sharps & Pharmaceuticals Drop-Off Locations

Additional information about sharps disposal can be found at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/homehazwaste/sharps/.

When medicines are no longer needed, they should be disposed of promptly. Consumers and caregivers should remove expired, unwanted, or unused medicines from their home as quickly as possible to help reduce the chance that others might accidentally take or intentionally misuse the medicine and to help reduce drugs from entering the environment.

WAYS TO DISPOSE OF PHARMACEUTICALS:
To better serve our community against the illegal and uncontrolled disposal of sharps and pharmaceutical waste, the City of Fresno, in partnership with Health Wise Services, has placed special receiving kiosks at strategically-selected locations throughout the City.

The City’s innovative pharmaceuticals disposal program helps to address a state mandate (AB 333) making the disposal of sharps and pharmaceuticals (medications) in landfills illegal.

The kiosks are secure and are placed near select police or fire stations. Each of the safe and secure locations are open 24 hours and are easy to use. The red kiosk is for sharps and the white/blue kiosk is for medication.

Medication may be left in its original container or placed in a zip top plastic bag.

Click on the link below to see a list of locations in the Fresno area that accept pharmaceuticals for disposal.

Fresno Area Sharps & Pharmaceuticals Drop-Off Locations

Motor oil never wears out. It gets dirty, but it can be recycled, cleaned, and used again.

Oil filters can also be recycled, allowing for the recovery of precious metals that can be used to make new items.

Motor oil (new and used) is toxic. It is insoluble and contains heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Please recycle used motor oil. DO NOT pour it on the ground or into the storm drain as it can threaten our water supply and environment.

WAYS TO DISPOSE OF USED MOTOR OIL & FILTERS:
Several options are available for customers to recycle used motor oil and oil filters:

• Residential Curbside Recycling
  You can have your used motor oil and/or oil filter picked up at your home with your once-a-week residential curbside collection (available to Fresno’s single family residential customers only, with a limit of two gallons per week). The City offers special program containers which are the only containers accepted for curbside recycling of used oil and oil filters. These containers are available FREE OF CHARGE.To request the free program containers for used oil and/or oil filters, call (559) 621-1452. Containers will be delivered by the Solid Waste Management Division. Used oil should be poured into the program’s container while drained filters should be placed in the program’s plastic bag.Place used motor oil and oil filters NEXT to your blue cart on your service day. DO NOT place oil or special containers on or inside the blue cart.

• Certified Collection Centers
  Customers can also take used motor oil and oil filters to certified collection centers located throughout the City of Fresno. Certified collection centers will pay you 40¢ per gallon for your used motor oil.Take your used oil and filters into a collection center during business hours. DO NOT leave used motor oil or filters outside the collection centers after business hours. Improper disposal of used motor oil is a violation of California Health and Safety Code 25189.6.To locate a certified collection center near you, please visit the CalRecycle website or call the Recycling Hotline at (559) 621-1111. If you own or operate an automotive parts retail shop, service or repair shop, gas station, or auto dealership and are interested in becoming a certified collection center, please visit the CalRecycle website.

Click on the link below to see a list of Certified Collection Centers in the Fresno area.  You can also search for a collection center near you on the CalRecycle website.

Used Motor Oil & Filters Certified Collection Centers

IN CASE OF AN OIL SPILL:

Cover the area with an absorbent material such as cat litter or sawdust. Then call (559) 621-1111 for instructions on proper disposal of the material.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Contaminated oil (oil with traces of anti-freeze, paint, or other substances) will NOT be accepted by either the Residential Curbside Recycling Program OR by certified collection centers. For more information on contaminated oil, please call the Recycling Hotline at (559) 621-1111.

Check Your Number Campaign

CalRecycle’s motor oil campaign, Check Your Number, urges Californians to check the recommended oil change interval for their car in their owner’s manual. They’ll likely save time and money in service costs and do the environment a big favor without hurting their car or compromising auto performance.

The old standard of changing oil every 3,000 miles is out of date and no longer applies to most cars. Many cars, even older models, can be driven up to 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, and even 15,000 miles before needing an oil change.

By volume, used motor oil is one of the largest hazardous waste streams in California. Almost 115 million gallons are sold in the state each year. While only about 70 percent is collected after use, used oil continues to be a serious environmental problem because it is insoluble and contains heavy metals and toxic chemicals. It makes its way into lakes, streams, and oceans via the storm water system and endangers fish, waterfowl, insects, and other aquatic life.

Drivers can do their part to help the environment by simply looking up the recommended oil change intervals for their cars and changing their habits accordingly. Advances in modern engines and improved oil formulas have made the 3,000-mile oil change obsolete. Under normal driving conditions, cutting back to the automaker’s recommended intervals will not affect your car’s engine, its performance, or your warranty.

Important HHW Terms:

• Explosive – Can catch fire, explode, or give off dangerous fumes when exposed to water or air.
• Reactive – Unstable chemicals that may react spontaneously with flammables, water, or other chemicals; may by explosive.
• Poisonous/Toxic – May cause injury or death when inhaled (breathing), ingested (eating or drinking), or absorbed through the skin (touching).
• Corrosive – Can “eat through” clothes, metal, etc. and severely burn skin.
• Flammable – Can catch on fire.

All items listed above (except weapons) can be taken to the Fresno HHW Facility or an approved drop-off location. For more information, call (559) 600-4259 or visit the Fresno County website.

Quick Guide to HHW Materials:
All starred (*) items listed below can be dried outside, away from kids and pets, and placed in the gray trash cart.

Corrosive & Toxic Products – Do Not Mix with Other Substances

• Ammonia-based products
• Bathroom/kitchen cleaners
• Bleach
• Car wax (solvents)
• Chlorine cleaners
• Disinfectant
• Drain openers
• Glass cleaners
• Pool chemicals
• Oven cleaners

Explosive Items – Take to the Police or Sheriff’s Department

• Ammunition
• Firearms

Flammable Products

• Aerosol sprays
• Disinfecting sprays
• Deodorant sprays
• Hairsprays

Flammable, Corrosive & Toxic Items

• Asphalt
• Driveway sealants
• Roofing tar*
• Rug and upholstery cleaner*
• Rust remover*
• Thinners

Flammable & Toxic Products

• Cleaner/degreaser
• Copper polish*
• Diesel fuel
• Enamel
• Floor polish*
• Furniture polish*
• Gasoline
• Kerosene
• Motor oil
• Nail polish remover*
• Oil-based paint’
• Shoe polish*
• Silver polish*
• Spot remover*
• Stains
• Solvents
• Stripper
• Transmission fluid
• Turpentine
• Varnishes
• Wood preservatives

Toxic Items

• Abrasives
• Antifreeze
• Artist/model paint* (leftover paint must be taken to an HHW facility, event, or to an approved drop-off location but a completely empty, dried out container can be placed in the blue cart)
• Batteries (radios, toys, etc.)
• Car batteries
• Fertilizer
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Fungicides
• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Medicine
• Mercury
• Mothballs
• Latex paint* (leftover paint should be soaked up with kitty litter and placed in the gray cart but the empty, dried out container can be placed in the blue cart)
• Oil based paint (leftover paint must be taken to an HHW facility, event, or to an approved drop-off location, but a completely empty, dried out container can be placed in the blue cart)
• Pharmaceuticals (medications)
• Scouring powder
• Water-based paint* (leftover paint should be soaked up with kitty litter and placed in the gray cart but the empty, dried out container can be placed in the blue cart)
• Weed killer