California household hazardous waste drop-off
Pick your county to see its drop-off sites, collection events and home pickup. Check who can use each program, and call before you go.
California counties
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
No county matches that name.
Counties in gray have no current listing yet: call the county for local options.
California metro areas
Upcoming collection events in California
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · San Diego, San Diego County
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · Portola, Plumas CountyWho can attend: Eastern Plumas County residents only; residents within the City of Portola cannot take part
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 (also Sun, Oct 25, 2026) · Corona, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 (also Sat, Nov 14, 2026, Sat, Nov 28, 2026, Sat, Dec 12, 2026, Sat, Dec 26, 2026) · Red Bluff, Tehama CountyWho can attend: Tehama County residents and businesses only
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · Castaic, Los Angeles CountyWho can attend: All Los Angeles County residents; no business waste
- Sat, Oct 31, 2026 · Carson, Los Angeles CountyWho can attend: All Los Angeles County residents; no business waste
- Sat, Oct 31, 2026 · Indio, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Sat, Nov 7, 2026 · Covina, Los Angeles CountyWho can attend: All Los Angeles County residents; no business waste
- Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Glendale, Los Angeles CountyWho can attend: All Los Angeles County residents; no business waste
- Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · San Diego, San Diego County
- Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Moreno Valley, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Fri, Nov 20, 2026 (also Sat, Nov 21, 2026) · Clearlake, Lake CountyWho can attend: Lake County residents; be prepared to show identification
- Sat, Nov 21, 2026 · Blythe, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Sat, Nov 21, 2026 (also Sat, Dec 19, 2026) · Hollister, San Benito CountyWho can attend: Residents of Hollister, San Juan Bautista and unincorporated San Benito County; not businesses; proof of residency required
- Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · La Mesa, San Diego CountyWho can attend: Incorporated City of La Mesa and Lemon Grove residents
- Sat, Dec 12, 2026 · Cathedral City, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Sat, Dec 12, 2026 · La Quinta, Riverside CountyWho can attend: Riverside County residents only; residential waste only
- Sat, Dec 19, 2026 · San Diego, San Diego County
- Sat, Dec 19, 2026 · Lakeport, Lake CountyWho can attend: Lake County residents; be prepared to show identification
- Sat, Feb 13, 2027 · San Diego, San Diego County
No upcoming collection events are listed right now. Your county page lists permanent drop-off sites and home pickup.
Soonest first. Events usually serve only residents of the city or county that runs them, and many need an appointment. Events with addresses and phone numbers →
About California programs
California law keeps household hazardous waste out of the trash. Drop-off sites, collection events and home pickup are run by counties, cities, sanitation districts and regional waste agencies, and most serve only their own residents. We start from the DTSC facility map and CalRecycle, then check each program’s own page.
Counted by every county a program serves, so a regional site can appear under more than one county.
State rules and programs
- Agency: CalRecycle oversees household hazardous waste programs and grants, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) keeps the statewide facility map. Local programs set their own hours and rules.
- Trip limit: state law limits you to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of household hazardous waste per trip, in containers of 5 gallons or less, unless the program says otherwise.
- No trash disposal: in California, batteries, fluorescent lamps, electronics, paint and other household hazardous waste may not go in the garbage.
- ABOP sites: many landfills and transfer stations are “ABOP” sites that take only antifreeze, batteries, oil and paint. Full drop-off sites take much more.
- Paint: California has a PaintCare program, so many paint and hardware stores take leftover paint for free. See the paint guide.
FAQ
Can I put household batteries in the trash in California?
No. California treats household batteries as hazardous waste, so they must go to a drop-off site, collection event or retail take-back location, never the trash or recycling cart.
Is household hazardous waste disposal free in California?
For residents it usually is. Most county and city programs are free for their own residents, but many ask for an ID or utility bill and some need an appointment. Check “who can use it” on each listing.
Can I use another county’s drop-off site?
Usually not. Most California programs take waste only from their own residents. A few regional programs serve more than one county, and those listings say so.