Walgreens is leading the fight against prescription drug abuse with new programs to help curb the misuse of medications and reduce the rise in overdose deaths. In the ongoing national effort by a retailer, Walgreens has installed safe medication disposal kiosks in over 1,000 pharmacies across 45 states and the District of Columbia. Walgreens safe medication disposal kiosks provide a safe and convenient way to dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired medications at no cost, year-round.
Kiosks are available during regular pharmacy hours and offer one of the best ways to ensure that medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else.
As part of the City of Torrance’s used oil recycling program, the City hosts a series of filter exchange events at auto parts stores around town. Since February of 2017, Torrance has hosted five (5) filter exchange events for residents.
Events are held once a quarter at Used Oil Certified Collection Centers on Saturdays, 9am–1pm. At filter exchanges, Torrance residents who bring in an old oil filter to recycle receive a voucher for a free, new filter to redeem in-store.
Many auto parts stores like AutoZone and O’Reilly participate in the statewide used oil recycling program by taking back motor oil & filters from the public and recycling them for free. Remember when doing your next oil change to call your local auto parts store to see if they are a Used Oil Certified Collection Center. And don’t forget the filter! Check Recycle Torrance for dates and details of the City’s next scheduled filter exchange event, or call (562) 944-4766 with any questions about the City of Torrance’s Used Oil Recycling Program
2017-2018 Filter Exchange — By The Numbers
# of Events: 5
# of Participants: 150
# of Filters Collected: 357
Gallons of Oil Collected: 262
Residents who recycle their oil or filters at a City of Torrance filter exchange can receive oil change supplies, like a 6-quart oil drain container, shop towel, and funnel.
Giving away filter exchange supplies at the February 17, 2018 filter exchange at AutoZone.
Used Oil & Filter Recycling — Did You Know?
Did You Know In California, 1 in 5 households have a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) oil changer.
Did You Know There are more than 2,600 Used Oil Certified Collection Centers in California. There are 24 in Torrance.
Did You Know If improperly disposed of, the oil from a single oil change (1 gallon) can pollute as much as 1 million gallons of drinking water. One million gallons is enough to supply drinking water for 50 people for a year.
Did You Know In the U.S., less than 60% of the motor oil sold is recycled.
Did You Know Recycled motor oil is often turned into re-refined oil. Re-refined oil is more energy efficient, better for the environment, costs less to produce, and just as effective as virgin motor oil. Recycling one gallon of motor oil produces 2.5 quarts of re-refined oil.
Did You Know Even after draining, a typical used motor oil filter retains more than 10 fluid ounces of oil. Disposing of oil filters in the trash is illegal.
Did You Know Metal oil filters are made of steel, another recyclable resource. If all the metal oil filters sold in America each year were recycled, that would result in the recovery of about 160,000 tons of steel!
Did You Know DIY oil recyclers who recycle their motor oil at a Used Oil Recycling Certified Collection Center are eligible to receive 40 cents per gallon of oil brought in.
Torrance residents recycle at the City’s December 9th, 2017 filter exchange at O’Reilly Auto Parts.
Did you know? Motor oil never wears out or “goes bad,” it just gets dirty. Recycling motor oil cleans out dirt, impurities, water and other liquid contaminants so the oil can be re-refined and used again and again.
Both the used motor oil and the steel in automotive filters can be recycled.
Make a difference in your community by volunteering!
Want an opportunity to help keep your community safe and clean? Join Team Torrance as a volunteer at the 34th annual Coastal Cleanup Day.
Coastal Cleanup Day is Saturday, September 15th from 9am–12 noon. Co-hosted by Heal the Bay, the Ocean Conservancy, the California Coastal Commission, and the L.A. Department of Beaches and Harbors, this year’s Torrance event is sponsored by American Honda and the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, and will take place at Torrance Beach. For more info on the Torrance Beach Cleanup, please contact Beach Captain Leslie Cortez at (310) 618-5864 or Co-Captain Betty Perez at (310) 781-7627.
Last year’s Torrance Beach Cleanup received a record number of volunteers, so sign up early this year. Volunteers meet at Miramar Park, 201 Paseo de la Playa @ Calle Miramar.
There are many more opportunities to help keep our beaches & oceans clean at various locations throughout L.A. County. To sign-up, visit Heal the Bay.
In 2017, Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers removed more than 800,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from California coast and inland waterways–in only 3 hours! Volunteering really makes an impact in our local communities.
Why: To help keep our oceans, beaches, waterways, streams and parks clean and free of trash!
Cost: FREE
Ages: Volunteers under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers 18 years or younger must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
City of Torrance Offers Free Christmas Tree Recycling!
From December 27, 2016 through January 12, 2017, City of Torrance residents will be able to recycle their Christmas trees along with their regular curbside collection.
Trees must be unflocked (no fake snow), less than six feet long (without cutting), and undecorated (no stands, tinsel, or ornaments).
How-To: Trees can be up to six (6) feet long without needing to be cut. Then, place the tree at the curb at least four feet from your automated containers by 7:00 a.m. on your regularly scheduled collection day between Monday, December 27, 2016, and Thursday, January 12, 2017.
Other Options: Christmas trees put out for collection before or after the recycling collection dates, or flocked trees (with fake snow), must be cut up and placed in the regular (black) trash container for removal. Unflocked Christmas trees six (6) feet or smaller can be placed directly into the green waste container and will be collected during normal collection times.
Note:The large item collection program will not be available during the curbside Christmas tree recycling program. Remember that it takes at least a week to schedule the large item pick up, so please plan accordingly. For further details visit the Public Works Christmas Tree Recycling webpage.
What happens to my Christmas trees when they’re recycled?
The City of Torrance chops up the Christmas trees they collect and turn them into mulch and landfill cover. The City offers free mulch giveaways year-round at Lago Seco Park. Visit the Public Works Department for more details.
Is there a more eco-friendly, sustainable option for Christmas trees?
Yes! You can “rent” a living Christmas tree (one that has not been chopped down) and have it delivered to your home or business for the holiday season. You can visit Living Christmas for more details.
Waste prevention (or source reduction) means eliminating waste before it’s created by purchasing products with less packaging, reusing goods instead of throwing them away, using up products completely and eliminating waste whenever possible. Waste prevention saves resources, promotes efficiency, reduces pollution and may even save money.
A few ways to stop waste at the start:
Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps
Buy reusable rather than disposable products
Bring a shopping bag to the store
Buy in bulk when possible
Avoid individually wrapped or single-serving products
Choose products with refillable or reusable containers
Waste reduction (or prevention) is the preferred approach to waste management because waste that never gets created doesn’t have waste management costs. Visit CalRecycle for more information on how to reduce waste at home.
To encourage LA County residents to stay home, Household Hazardous/Electronic Waste Collection Events have been temporarily suspended starting January 16. We hope to resume this free service in the near future and will make another announcement when the program restarts.
For more information, please contact info@lacsd.org.
Due to the announcement of the suspension of HHW collection events, there will be no mobile, one-day events available to Torrance residents in the South Bay until services resume.
The City of Torrance encourages you to recycle your Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Electronic Waste (E-Waste) at a permanent collection facility (S.A.F.E. Center) near you. SAFE Centers are open Saturdays and Sundays from 9am–3pm.
DUE TO COVID-19, THERE ARE STRICT SAFETY RULES THAT MUST BE ADHERED TO, AND LONG WAIT TIMES ARE ANTICIPATED.
COVID-19 SAFETY RULES 1. RESIDENTS MUST REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLES AT ALL TIMES 2. FACE COVERINGS ARE MANDATORY AT ALL TIMES 3. MATERIALS MUST BE IN AN UNLOCKED TRUNK (STAFF WILL NOT OPEN THE VEHICLE DOOR OR ENTER THE VEHICLE’S CABIN)
ANY RESIDENTS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE SAFETY RULES WILL BE TURNED AWAY – NO EXCEPTIONS. THIS IS FOR YOUR SAFETY AS WELL AS OUR STAFF’S SAFETY.
All of the Mobile Collection Events are still postponed. Please do not place household hazardous materials in the trash. Electronic waste (e-waste) may be scheduled for curbside collection by calling 1-800-773-2489 or by selecting Electronic Waste in the MyLA311 app.
TRANSPORTATION LIMIT: It is against the law to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste to collection sites. Please pack your waste properly to prevent tipping or spilling of the waste during transportation.
These words are designed to keep people away, yet many common household products are labeled with these warnings and left sitting on shelves or in cabinets long after they are needed. In a typical home, families have about 100 pounds of unwanted hazardous chemicals stored. These unneeded–and often forgotten–items are called “Household Hazardous Waste” (HHW). Take a look around. You probably have HHW that you don’t need, such as old paint, stain, lawn chemicals, bug spray, antifreeze, gasoline, and more.
Dispose of HHW & E-Waste Properly!
Hazardous and electronic waste is any discarded material that threatens public health, safety, and the environment due to its chemical nature. Throwing these materials in the trash, down storm drains, on the ground, or in the sewer system puts oceans and groundwater at risk.
Gathering and safely disposing of HHW will open up storage space and also make your home safer for your family, as well as emergency responders in case of fire or natural disaster. Plus, it will help us keep our ocean and beaches clean and safe. NEVER place HHW in the trash, recycling, or green waste cart, or pour into the street, gutter, storm drain, or sewer.
Instead, take advantage of Los Angeles County’s FREE, convenient HHW Round-Up Events. At these free events, you can also drop off electronic waste, car batteries, household batteries, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, expired medication, used sharps (in a secure container), and mercury thermometers.
If you don’t want to wait for one-day Round-Up event, you may drop off HHW and electronics year-round at two nearby locations.
FREE PERMANENT DROP-OFF FACILITIES NEAR TORRANCE:
Gaffey St. S.A.F.E. Collection Center 1400 North Gaffey St. San Pedro, CA 90021 The San Pedro site is open SATURDAYS and SUNDAYS from 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. except holidays and rainy days.
Hyperion Treatment Plant S.A.F.E. Collection Center 7660 Imperial Hwy., Gate B Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 The Playa Del Rey site is open SATURDAYS and SUNDAYS from 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. except holidays and rainy days.
Give a little love back to our planet and join the City of Torrance and Call2Recycle in celebrating National Battery Day on February 18th for a chance to win a prize!
Call2Recycle is hosting a contest throughout the month of February in celebration of National Battery Day! Eight lucky U.S. recyclers will win $250 to add to their satisfaction of having properly disposed of their batteries, just post a picture of yourself recycling a used household battery. For more details, visit call2recycle.org/nationalbatteryday.
The steps are easy:
1. Visit one of Call2Recycle’s retail partners’ locations to drop off your used batteries for recycling, or find another recycling location near you through their collection site locator.
2. Take a picture of yourself recycling a battery at one of the collection sites.
3. Submit your photo through Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #NBD2016Recycle2Win, or post it here, anytime between now and February 29.
Why is battery recycling important?
Recycling batteries is good for the environment! It keeps them out of landfills, where heavy metals (like lead, cadmium, zinc lithium and mercury) may leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes, causing soil and water pollution.
The City of Torrance and L.A. County offer free collection and drop-off programs for residents to get rid of unwanted batteries. PLEASE NOTE, to tape positive (+) end of batteries before taking to a collection site or event. Listed below are a few battery-recycling sites in the City.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center or Event
Gaffey Street S.A.F.E. Collection Center
1400 Gaffey St. Los Angeles, CA 90731
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-3pm
Torrance HHW/E-Waste Roundup Event
Saturday, June 18, 2016
American Honda – 1919 Torrance Blvd.
Hours: 9am-3pm
Visit CLEANLA.com for additional information and a complete list of permanent centers and upcoming events.
Designated County Library Drop Off Site
Carson Library
151 E. Carson St. Carson, CA 90745
(310) 830-0901
Call2Recycle – Rechargeable Battery and Cellphone Collection
Lowes – 22255 S. Western Ave.
Lowes – 2700 Skypark Dr.
Home Depot – 24451 Crenshaw Blvd.
Best Buy – 3675 Pacific Coast Hwy
Verizon Wireless – 24329 Crenshaw Blvd.
Please contact collection sites for hours of operation and regulations. Visit Call2Recycle.org for more information on rechargeable battery and cellphone recycling.
The City of Torrance curbside collection program makes residential trash and recycling easy. The program consists of one Black, Gray, and Green bin. What do the colors represent?
The Gray bin is for recycling of plastics, glass, and paper. Items such as aluminum cans and foil, plastic bottles and containers, cardboard, empty food boxes, egg cartons (cardboard only), glass bottles and jars, junk mail, magazines and brochures, metal coat hangers, newspapers, phonebooks, and tin cans. Do not place liquids, napkins, tissue paper and anything soiled with food into Gray bin.
Tip: Please rinse out containers, but be sure all liquids are drained from containers before placing in recycling bins.
Tip: Labels can be left on the containers. Lids can be recycled in the bin, but please take them off the containers.
The Green bin is for recycling yard waste including grass, leaves, wood chips, tree branches, sawdust, garden trimmings, green plants, and weeds. Material cannot protrude from the top of the containers more than 2 or 3 feet.
Tip: Recycle your Christmas trees any time in your green waste container. Cut up your Christmas tree to meet green waste collection requirements.
Tip: Leave your grass clippings on the lawn – it’s a good source of nitrogen and acts as a fertilizer. You can also recycle your green waste and food waste at home to create your own compost. Go to www.smartgardening.com to learn more.
The Black bin is for trash only. Trash items include food waste, soiled toiletries/food containers, cigarette butts, diapers, sponges, styrofoam, waxed paper, palm fronds, cactus, ice plant, and yucca. Do not place dirt, rock, sod, concrete, construction debris, hot ashes, liquids, electronics, and hazardous wastes into Black bin.
Tip: If you need additional capacity, leave the lid open and place a securely closed additional 30-gallon trash bag on top of your other waste.
It’s Quick, It’s Easy and It’s the Right Thing To Do!
Every year approximately 13 million gallons of motor oil that has been sold to the public is unaccounted for. California has no record of that motor oil being recycled. What happens to it? Maybe it is disposed of improperly… thrown down the storm drain, poured down the drain, poured on to a patch in the back yard, or thrown into the garbage.
Did you know that used motor oil never wears out? It just gets dirty and can be recycled, cleaned, and used again. If these contaminants reach the ground, they can seep into our water supply and cause serious pollution. If they are released into our storm drain system they get washed away with the next rains directly into the ocean!
Yes, used oil is very recyclable. Used oil can be re-refined or processed into fuel oil.
Oil filters contain used oil and steel. Both are valuable nonrenewable resources.
When you take your used oil to a certified center for recycling, you are protecting the environment, and conserving a valuable resource. That’s a winning combination!
Find a Certified Collection Center in the City of Torrance!
For more information on used oil and filter recycling visit CalRecycle.
Everything that goes in a storm drain comes out in the ocean!
Unlike water that goes to the sanitary sewer system, storm water is not treated or filtered before it is discharged to the ocean. Polluted runoff can have harmful effects on wildlife and the recreational uses of streams, creeks and beaches.
Do not dump trash, debris, or liquids down the storm drains, gutters, or streets.
There is plenty we can all do to help!
Keep trash and litter out of drains, especially cigarette butts. In fact, 32% of litter at storm drains is tobacco products. Always throw your litter in the garbage.
Remember to scoop your pet’s poop. Unscooped poop gets carried by overland water contaminating our waterways. Carry a pet waste bag with you on walks and dispose of them properly.
Keep cars well maintained to prevent leaks. Do not dispose of automotive fluids in the street, gutter or in the garbage. It is illegal! Visit 888CleanLA.com for the location of a center that recycles these fluids or go to a local household hazardous waste roundup.
Do not overwater lawns. Overflowing water will cause toxic fertilizers and pesticides to run into the street, down the storm drain and into the ocean. Please use fertilizers and pesticides wisely, not before a rain, and water carefully. There are also biodegradable and environmentally-friendly products for outdoor cleaning and landscape maintenance.
Do not sweep, wash, or blow grass clippings or other lawn debris into the street. They can clog catch basins. Properly dispose of green waste by placing into the green bin provided by the city.
You can keep your community clean, protect our area waterways and make the beaches safe by following these simple steps. Help keep the City of Torrance beautiful!
