Hazardous Waste and Household Hazardous Waste must never be placed in any Sonoma County Resource Recovery Container. Residents may place some universal wastes out for collection with special requirements. To find out to properly discard hazardous materials, please contact Zero Waste Sonoma or Household Toxics at (707) 795-2025.

What is Hazardous Waste?

Household Hazardous Waste is:

Any Hazardous Waste generated at an single family or multi-family Service Unit or Town Service Unit for household use which, because of their quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, may pose a substantial known or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, disposed, or otherwise managed.

Hazardous Waste is:

Any material which is defined, regulated or listed as “hazardous”, “toxic”, a “pollutant”, or words of similar import waste under California or United States law or any regulations promulgated pursuant to such law, as such state or federal law or regulations may be amended from time to time; and “designated waste” as defined in California Water Code Section 13173.

Household Hazardous Waste includes:

  • Cell phones and Personal Digital Assistants
    These items are accepted through the residential On-Call Curbside Clean-Up program. Please see our Residential Service Guidelines.

  • Electronic Waste (including all handheld electronic devices, computers, TVs, smoke detectors, kitchen appliances, electrical cables/cords, Christmas lights, hearing aids, GPS systems, cameras, stereos, office equipment, DVD players and VCRs).  Electronic wastes are accepted through the residential On-Call Curbside Clean-Up program. Please see our Residential Service Guidelines.

  • Universal Waste (including TVs, computers, batteries, mercury-containing thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps)
    Some universal wastes are accepted through the residential On-Call Curbside Clean-Up program. Please see our Residential Service Guidelines.

  • Used motor oil and motor oil filters
    These items may be recycled through your residential curbside program. Please see our Residential Service Guidelines.

  • Cooking oil

  • Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs
    Note to All Customers: Must be contained in a sealed plastic bag.

  • Cleaning products

  • Painting supplies

  • Automotive products, including auto batteries

  • Solvents, strippers and adhesives