State regulations require proper disposal of certain items now
in effect
Staff Report
Gilroy – Tossing those dead batteries or that old cell phone in your kitchen wastebasket is no longer OK.
On Thursday, new state regulations went into effect that place strict regulations on the disposal of common household items deemed hazardous to people and the environment, such as batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, cell phones, television sets, computers and other electronic devices.
The products must be separated from the regular trash and collected for safe disposal. If the items are mixed in with regular household trash, toxins and chemicals, such as mercury, lead, acid, zinc and cadmium, could be released into the environment, according to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
The new regulations effect households and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. In 2000, the DTSC adopted the new law in 2000 but granted a grace period to small businesses and households to allow city and county waste management agencies ample time to develop new disposal plans.
Big businesses, those with more than 50 employees, have had to abide by the regulation since 2000.
“The California Integrated Waste Management Board has proposed making available $4.5 million in grant money to ease the potential financial burden to cities and counties responsible for handling universal waste,” said Executive Director Mark Leary in a written statement.
The board is expected to vote on the grant proposal next week.
“Our goal is to work together with local governments, private entities and households to protect the health of Californians and our environment by properly recycling and disposing of universal waste with minimal impact on a household’s daily activities,” said DTSC Director Maureen Gorsen. “Working together, we can ensure that these contaminants don’t enter the environment.”
Locals must call the Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste and make an appointment to drop off their waste at one of the county sites. The nearest drop-off events take place in San Martin the first weekend of every month, from 9am to 10:45am on Friday and from 9am to noon on Saturday.
Californians can find more information, such as the location of hazardous waste disposal sites and a list of forbidden items, at http://www.zerowaste.ca.gov
