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How to Dispose of Everything
Many household items, products under your sink and in the garage, and electronics contain toxic materials and should not be disposed of in the trash. Businesses can also generate hazardous waste in their industrial operations, cleaning, or supply chain. Large items like furniture are often dumped on the street.
To prevent illegal dumping and keep hazardous materials from being released into the environment, learn how to properly dispose of common items below.
Need to get rid of something that's not listed here? Email us at TrashAndRecycling@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
All City of Santa Barbara residents with trash service have access to battery and cell phone recycling at home.
Single family residents can place household batteries (with tape on the ends of each battery) and old cell phones in a plastic bag (e.g. Ziploc) placed on top of (not inside) their blue recycling cart. Batteries will be picked up on the regular collection day.
In apartments or other multi-family dwellings, the landlord can request an orange bucket, free of charge, from MarBorg by calling (805) 963-1852. The buckets can then be brought to a MarBorg collection center.
Batteries, cell phones, and other electronics can always be taken to MarBorg's Downtown Recycle Center (ABOP) at 132 Nopalitos Way.
The Santa Barbara Zoo's Gorillas on the Line program also accepts cell phones, smart phones, MP3 players, tablets, hand-held game devices, adapters, and chargers.
All City of Santa Barbara residents with trash service receive four free "bulky item" pickups (of up to five items, boxes, or bags) each year. This includes items like furniture, mattresses, appliances, tires, branches, and more.
Have more than five items for pickup? Schedule two pickups for one day! Residents in apartment buildings no longer have to rely on landlords to schedule pickups, and may schedule their own pickups as well.
Call MarBorg at (805) 963-1852 to schedule a pickup. Gather items and place them by the curb only on the morning of your assigned pickup day. (Placing items by the curb anytime other than your scheduled pickup day will be treated as illegal dumping.)
Christmas Trees: Residential MarBorg customers in the City of Santa Barbara can place Christmas trees next to your trash cans/carts on your normal service day for free pickup from December 26 through the second Saturday in January. Trees larger than 6' must be cut in half. All decorations, ornaments, tree stands, tinsel, etc. must be removed.
Extra Holiday Trash: Residential MarBorg will collect up to 96 gallons each of extra recycling and trash (approximately a 32 gallon standard can) from December 26 through January 12. Trash or recycling should be bundled, bagged, or boxed.
Please contact MarBorg at (805) 963-1852 with any questions.
Residents can drop off clean, lightly worn textiles for FREE at MarBorg’s Goleta Recycling Center. Items should be clean, dry, not contaminated, and lightly worn.
- Clothing
- Hats, gloves, mittens, scarves
- Shoes, socks (matching pairs only)
- Towels, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, curtains
- Fabric scraps (8.5" x 11" or larger)
- Backpacks, purses
- Luggage (in good, working condition)
- Undergarments, body suits, swimsuits (ONLY if unopened in original packaging)
For more information on hours of operation, location, and drop-off details, please visit MarBorg's Textile Drop-Off page.
Please take construction debris to Marborg's Construction & Demolition Facility at 119 North Quarantina Street. Contact MarBorg at (805) 963-1852 to confirm hours and details.
Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Accepted Materials:
- Mixed construction waste (concrete, debris, metal, drywall, wood, etc)
- Porcelain bathtubs (free)
- Porcelain sinks and toilets (fee charged)
- Yard waste, soil, Christmas trees, and landscaping waste
- Cardboard (free)
- Furniture, mattresses, electronics, pallets, and other large items
- Scrap metal, scrap vehicles (gas tank removed and junk slip needed), and most major appliances are free.
- Refrigerators, freezers, A/C Units ($10 freon removal drop-off fee; free if freon is removed prior to drop-off)
Oil and grease should not be poured down the drain because they can clog sewer lines and lead to sewage spills. Small quantities of oil and grease from home cooking can be placed in the trash - view the City's Fats, Oils, and Grease Control Program (FOG) flyer for tips on proper disposal.
Large quantities of oil and grease should not be put in trash containers because it makes a mess, creates strong odors, and attracts rodents.
The used cooking oil that is disposed of yearly by the average restaurant has the potential, after being converted to biodiesel, to replace or migrate 1,000 gallons of imported petroleum, three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, one pound of particulate matter emissions, and one pound of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Many companies will collect separated grease at no charge. View our list of Grease and Tallow Companies that serve the City of Santa Barbara.
E-waste is anything that has an electrical cord or runs on batteries. E-waste cannot be put in trash or recycling containers since it contains hazardous materials. It has been illegal to dispose of electronics with hazardous components since February 2006.
E-waste can be dropped off at the locations below:
- MarBorg's Downtown Recycle Center (ABOP) at 132 Nopalitos Way
- County of Santa Barbara South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station at 4430 Calle Real
- MarBorg's Goleta Recycle Center at 20 David Love Place in Goleta
Large appliances can be scheduled for pickup through MarBorg using a "bulky item" pickup (see above).
Common E-Waste Items:
- Computers, laptops, components, and accessories (CPU, monitors, keyboards, mice, cables, external hard drives)
- TVs of any kind (CRT, plasma, LCD, etc.)
- Damaged or broken CRT TVs must go to the South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station
- Stereos and accessories (speakers, cables)
- All phones (mobiles phones with batteries removed; landline phones plus cords)
- Electric and battery-operated tools
- Light fixtures and lamps (remove bulbs)
- Electronic toys, games, cameras
- CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and other media
Please Note:
- Modern smoke detectors contain radioactive material and must be mailed back the manufacturer or taken to UCSB's Community Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center.
Industrial hazardous waste is just the tip of the iceberg. Many of the products under your sink and in the garage are toxic and should not be released into the environment. Download our Household Hazardous Waste Brochure (2015).
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Reducing Household Hazardous Waste Pollution
The most environmentally-friendly solution to HHW is to not produce it.
Use the least toxic cleaners and paints possible.
Switch to rechargeable batteries. Limit your electronics to those that only require one or two sizes, such as AA and AAA.
Offer unneeded items to friends and neighbors, especially if you are moving.
Viable products taken to the Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center may be reused, so donate unwanted items while they are still usable. Always keep them in their original containers.
The Downtown Recycling Center offers free latex paint! Check it out before you buy.
Where Should Hazardous Waste Go?
HHW must be brought to a disposal facility because it contains chemicals known to endanger both human health and the environment. Please do not pour dangerous products down storm drains, where they will end up in the ocean, or on the ground, where they can poison the soil and contaminate groundwater.
What's Accepted Where?
Community Hazardous Waste @ UCSB | Downtown Recycling Center (ABOP) | South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station | Local Businesses | |
Antifreeze | Y | Y | N | N |
Y | N | N | N/A | |
Batteries - Household | Y | Y | Y | |
Batteries - Vehicle | Y | Y | Y | N |
Fluorescent Bulbs | Y | Y | $1 per 4 ft tube or CFL | Home Depot |
Paint - all types | Y | Y | N | PaintCare stores |
Mercury Devices | Y | N | N | N |
Motor Oil & Filters | Y | Y | N | |
Other Chemicals | Y | N | N | N |
Smoke Detectors (radioactive) | Y | N | N | N |
Drop Off Locations
Please note that businesses have separate regulations and fees that apply to hazardous waste.
Currently, there is no curbside collection program for household hazardous wastes, however, all of the disposal and recycling facilities listed below are free to residents unless otherwise indicated. Legally, households may not transport more than 15 gallons of wet or 125 pounds of dry hazardous materials per month.
Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center at UCSB
Bldg. 565, Mesa Rd, UCSB
(805) 882-3602
Hours: Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 3 PMMarBorg Downtown Recycling Center (ABOP)
132 Nopalitos St.
(805) 963-1852
Hours: Monday - Friday 9 AM to 4 PMSouth Coast Recycling & Transfer Station
4430 Calle Real
(805) 681-4345
Hours: Monday - Saturday 7 AM to 5 PM
Did you know it's illegal to toss batteries in the trash or recycling bin? Instead, bring them to a designated collection spot for proper recycling. When improperly discarded, batteries pose serious fire, health and safety hazards and poison the environment. Residents now have a convenient and FREE recycling solution with Call2Recycle’s new High Energy Battery Recycling Program!
Drop off your Husqvarna electric lawncare and garden equipment batteries 300 wH or more at Aqua-Flo during business hours. Together, let's keep our community safe and sustainable by powering a greener future! Funded by a grant from CalRecycle.
Aqua-Flo Locations:
18 S Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 (805) 897-1166
30 S La Patera Lane Unit #10, Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 967-2374
The Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, & Carpinteria are partnering on a grant project funded by CalRecycle to expand access to lawncare equipment battery recycling & potential reuse (batteries <300 Wh).
Landscape Equipment Battery Drop-Off
Gas powered lawn and garden equipment have engines that pollute our air and bodies. Making the switch to battery-powered lawn and garden equipment is healthier for you and the environment.
In California, it is illegal to put batteries in your trash or recycling containers because they can, and do, cause fires in trucks and facilities that endanger workers and damage expensive equipment. Instead, batteries must be taken to a designated location and this grant has made it even more convenient to do the right thing.
This new pilot program will collect, ship, and process your batteries for reuse in other products, while batteries that cannot be reused will be safely recycled. And the best part? It’s completely free for residents!
Recycling old batteries is extremely important but reuse is one way we can decrease our environmental impact even more! Don’t forget, reduce first, reuse second, and lastly recycle when you can’t do the first two!
Bring unwanted lawncare and garden equipment batteries 300 watt-hours (Wh) or less to:
Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center
415 E Gutierrez Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 963-7825
During regular business hours.
Please recycle all other batteries at:
Downtown Recycling Center (MarBorg)
132 Nopalitos Way Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 4 PM
(805) 963-1852
Questions about this program? Please call the Environmental Services Division main line at (805) 564-5631.
Incandescent light bulbs can be thrown in the trash bin.
Fluorescent and HID bulbs contain mercury, and must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Please do not flush medication down the toilet! Wastewater treatment facilities were not designed to remove many of the chemicals that make up pharmaceutical products.
Unwanted medications should also not be placed in the trash. A 2002 USGS study showed that 80% of the 139 streams sampled nationwide contained small amounts of pharmaceuticals. When released into water bodies, these pharmaceutical byproducts can adversely impact wildlife and the environment.
Residential Medication Disposal
MED-Project
In Santa Barbara County, MED-Project provides medication drop boxes for safe disposal of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter household medications. You can place medicines in a baggie and recycle the containers, or keep medications in their original containers but remove or scratch out all personal information. Visit MED-Project for drop box locations.
Accepted: Medications in any dosage form except for those listed below, in their original container or sealed bag. MED-Project will also accept inhalers dropped off in their bins.
Not Accepted: Herbal remedies, vitamins, supplements, cosmetics, other personal care products, compressed cylinders, aerosols, medical devices, sharps, illicit drugs, mercury containing thermometers, and iodine-containing medications.
Business Medication Disposal
Hospitals, clinics, medical practices, acupuncturists, pathology labs, convalescent homes, group homes, nursing facilities, hospices, and veterinary hospitals must use commercial disposal companies. Search the internet for "sharps disposal" for options, or visit the California Department of Public Health Medical Waste Management Program.
Thermometers and Blood Pressure Cuffs
Older thermometers and blood pressure cuffs contain mercury, which is a heavy metal and hazardous to your health. Newer, digital thermometers do not contain mercury, but must be recycled with electronics (see E-waste section above). Thermometers containing mercury can be disposed of at UCSB's Community Household Hazardous Waste Center.
Please Note:
If you have broken a thermometer and mercury pours out, you must recover all of the droplets and place in an airtight container without touching it. If vacuumed, placed in the trash, or left uncollected, the mercury will evaporate and you will breathe it in.
Motor oil and other auto fluids can pollute our creeks and ocean when improperly stored or dumped on the street or in the storm drain. Some of the hydrocarbons that are found in oil and grease are toxic to aquatic organisms and produce unsightly sheens, even at low concentrations.
Practice good car care and repair leaks right away. Dispose of motor oil responsibly by taking it to a Certified Used Oil Collection Center.
It is illegal to place sharps or sharps containers in trash or recycling containers.
Residential Sharps Disposal
In the City of Santa Barbara, MarBorg customers are entitled to FREE mail-in medical sharps containers. To request delivery of a sharps container, please call MarBorg at (805) 963-1852. Once full, mail the container back with the included paid postage.
Sharps containers can also be dropped off at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department facilities below. Sharps must be placed in approved collection containers. Cans and plastic milk jugs are NOT appropriate containers and will not be accepted. Many drop-off locations have proper containers available.
- Franklin Clinic, 1136 East Montecito Street
- Santa Barbara Clinic, 345 Camino del Remedio
Visit LessIsMore.org/Sharps for more information on proper sharps disposal and locations.
Business Sharps Disposal
Hospitals, clinics, medical practices, acupuncturists, pathology labs, convalescent homes, group homes, nursing facilities, hospices, and veterinary hospitals must use commercial disposal companies. Search the internet for "sharps disposal" for options, or visit the California Department of Public Health Medical Waste Management Program.
In the City of Santa Barbara, proper disposal of paint is crucial to ensure environmental safety. Here are the steps and locations for disposing of paint in Santa Barbara:
Disposal Locations:
- Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center (CHWCC)
- Location: UCSB Campus, Mesa Road, Building 565
- Hours:
- Fridays: By Appointment for businesses
- Saturdays: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Sundays: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- What to Bring: Oil-based paints, stains, and thinners, as well as other hazardous household waste.
- Downtown Recycling Center
- Location: 132 Nopalitos Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Services: Offers free latex paint and accepts latex paint for recycling.
Steps for Disposal:
- Gather Materials:
- Ensure all paint cans are sealed tightly.
- Keep paint in its original container with the label intact.
- Transport Safely:
- Place paint containers in a box to prevent spills during transport.
- Avoid mixing different types of paint or other hazardous materials together.
- Visit the Disposal Sites:
- Take your paint to the Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center for oil-based paints.
- For latex paints, consider the Downtown Recycling Center, where you can also check for free paint before buying new.
Additional Tips:
- Preparation:
- Check the specific disposal guidelines provided by the City of Santa Barbara’s waste management services.
- Do not dispose of paint in regular trash or pour it down the drain.
- Reduce Waste:
- Purchase only the amount of paint needed for your project.
- Use up leftover paint on smaller projects or donate it.
Pumpkins and Jack-o’-lanterns should be placed in the trash, not your green yard waste bin.
Pumpkins placed in the trash will be sorted out for composting at the County’s ReSource Center. For an even better option, compost them at home!
Modern smoke detectors contain radioactive material and must be mailed back the manufacturer or taken to UCSB's Community Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center.