New – recycling electronic newsletter!
Save paper and check out the latest environmental news from the Public Works Department!
Visit the Torrance Public Works website for more information.
Plants, insects, bacteria, fungi and other organisms are a natural part of the environment. Some can benefit people, while others can be pests that you may need or want to control. You can choose from many different methods to control a pest. One method is to use a pesticide.
A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances used to destroy, suppress or alter the life cycle of any pest. It is important that pesticides are used only where they are absolutely justified. It is essential that you carefully identify the pest you wish to control and then fully consider all the control options. When using a pesticide you must always follow label directions.
Most common pesticides contain toxins and are categorized as household hazardous waste (HHW). Improper disposal of pesticides can result in accidental poisonings of children, pets, and wildlife, so it’s important that you avoid certain habits when getting rid of leftover pesticides.
Follow these safety recommendations for safe disposal of pesticides and their containers:
Visit the City of Torrance Public Works Household Hazardous Waste homepage for more information.
On May 5, 2015, City Council approved activation of Level 2 water requirements due to the severity of the drought and to meet the new state regulations.
The Conservation Ordinance applies to the entire City regardless of retail water supplier.
Level 2 -Water Use Requirements and Regulations:
Permanent Requirements In Effect at all Times:
Remember the 2-6-8-10 Plan!
2 Days a week
6 PM – 8 AM Watering Times
10 Minutes/area (watering station)
Water Conservation Tips for the Home:
Water Conservation Tips for the Yard and Garden:
Click here for a list of 100+ WATER USE IT WISELY conservation tips.
It is ILLEGAL to throw away household batteries!
More than 900,000 household batteries are improperly and illegally disposed of each year in Los Angeles. Batteries that end up in landfills have a negative effect on our environment, potentially causing serious health risks to humans and animals.
AA, AAA, C cells, D cells and button batteries (e.g. hearing aid batteries) must be disposed of properly because they may contain a corrosive chemical that can cause burns as well as toxic heavy metals like cadmium.
To encourage proper dispose of household batteries, Los Angeles County offers free and convenient collection and drop-off programs to get rid of unwanted batteries safely. PLEASE NOTE: Tape positive (+) end of batteries before taking to a collection site.
You can dispose of household batteries by doing one of the following:
Drop off household batteries at a mobile Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste Collection event or permanent collection center.
Take to a designated County Library collection site. Click here for a complete list of the County Library collection sites.
Take to a local collection center. Click here for a list of local retail store collection centers.
Please call collection sites for hours of operation and regulations.
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, marking what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement. Forty five years later, Earth Day continues to be a day of action!
On April 22 citizens throughout the world participate in various community activities to help keep our environment beautiful.
Join the City of Torrance in celebrating Earth Day this year by participating in the community events going on this month!
Click here to view The Torrance Public Works Department Newsletter. “One’s Person’s Trash…” Your guide to reducing, reusing, and recycling.
A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores rainwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams.
Usually a rain barrel is composed of a 55 gallon drum, a vinyl hose, PVC couplings, a screen grate to keep debris and insects out, and other off-the-shelf items, a rain barrel is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct and can sit conveniently under any residential gutter down spout.
Ready-made rain barrels can be purchased from a number of companies, including hardware stores and garden supply stores.
The Rain Barrel International is now offering a series of Truckload Sales in the Los Angeles area. Rain Barrels are available for $85, purchases must be made online in advance of event. Visit their website www.RainBarrelsIntl.com for a list of upcoming events.
Here are some benefits of having a Rain Barrel at your home:
Diverting water from storm drains also decreases the impact of runoff to streams. Therefore, a rain barrel is an easy way for you to have a consistent supply of clean, fresh water for outdoor use. Click here for Tips to Place and Maintain a Rain Barrel.
The Metropolitan Water District also offers a $75 rebate for up to 4 rain barrels per household! To receive rebate, the barrel must be at least 50 gallons and designed for the intended purpose of rain capture. Click here for Rebate Guidelines.
For further rebate information visit www.socalwatersmart.com or call 1-888-376-3314.
The holiday season has come and gone … and left a mess behind. Looking around, you wonder how you’ll ever replace your old couch and appliances with your new ones! Well, the City of Torrance will pick up your old items from you for FREE!
For residents with City services for rubbish and recycling, a free pickup of large or bulky items can be requested. Large item collection is available on an on-call basis once per calendar year per address.
The City will pick up twenty (20) items per pick up.
The following are NOT collected as part of this program:
Residents are also encouraged to consider recycling any items in usable condition by donating them to a non-profit organization. The following organizations provide pick-up or drop-off service:
For residents with working refrigerators to be discarded, you may be entitled to a rebate from Southern California Edison. Click here for details.
For residents who have items the City will not take, or for those who have already used the large item pick up for the year, click here for a list of local transfer stations that are open to the public. Please call ahead for prices, accepted materials, recycling options or other requirements.
Please note: Large Item Collection is not available during the time of our Christmas tree recycling program, which usually starts after Christmas and continues for about two weeks.
This year try giving back to the environment by reducing the impact of the holiday season. In fact, Americans produce about 1 million extra tons of trash around the holidays, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Having a ‘Green’ Christmas is not about going without; it’s about using your imagination to show extra care for the environment during the holiday season.
Here are a couple of simple tips on having a ‘Green’ Christmas, this year:
Homemade gifts, cards, and decorations! When it comes to cards, gift tags, and wrapping, there is a lot of waste involve.
Alternatives to wrapping paper! In the US, the annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals over 4 million tons.
Low impact of holiday lighting! A smaller presentation of lights can still be attractive and can lower your electricity bill during the holidays.
Choose a live tree! Although plastic Christmas trees are reusable from year to year, real trees are the more sustainable choice.
PaintCare, a non-profit organization, helps to dispose of paint properly and for free by creating a stewardship of drop-off locations.
Latex, water-based, and acrylic-based paints can be recycled and made into new products, such as concrete, cement and other additives. It’s always good to recycle your paint to conserve resources.
Oil-based paints, however, are considered household hazardous waste (HHW) and should NEVER be tossed in the trash! Even if paint is dried, oil-based paint should be disposed of at the local HHW facility listed below.
S.A.F.E. Collection Center
1400 N. Gaffey St.
San Pedro, CA 90021
Open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm. Except Holidays and rainy days.
To recycle latex paints, remove the lid from the can and allow the paint to dry out and harden completely. Once the paint has dried completely, it’s ready to be recycled. Bring your cans to a recycling facility.
Below are local PaintCare sites where you can take your unwanted paint:
These sites accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. These sites do NOT accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are empty or leaking.
If you have leftover, unwanted paint that is in good condition, you can donate it to nonprofits and other groups in your area for reuse in remodeling, set design and other applications. Such as high school drama departments, community theater groups, schools, charities and places of worship
Steel paint cans are also recyclable. To recycle, the paint can must be completely empty prior to placement into your Gray curbside recycling bin.
For more information on paint recycling and disposal visit www.PaintCare.org.
Each year on November 15th, millions of people across the country participate in America Recycles Day a national initiative by Keep America Beautiful.
America Recycles Day (ARD) is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. Since its inception in 1997, the ARD campaign has grown to include millions of Americans.
The average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash in a single day, but Americans only 35 percent of the country’s waste is recycled. America Recycles Day better informs people about the importance of recycling at home and work and buying recycled products.
Events Near You!
There are many events throughout California already registered on the official America Recycles Day website. These events provide various recycling opportunities and information through educational fairs focusing on broad interpretations of reduce, reuse, recycle and re-buy.
Visit the official America Recycles Day website for information about events near you!
Take the Pledge!
Take the America Recycles Day online pledge to find out what materials are collected for recycling in your community. Pledge to reduce your personal waste by recycling and to recycling more. Encourage one family member or one friend to take the pledge too.
Visit the America Recycles Day website to take the pledge!
Visit IWantToBeRecycled.org!
Visit IWantToBeRecycled.org to find your nearest recycling center, and learn the facts about what materials can be recycled and what they can become in their new lives.