UPDATE: as of January 7, 2021

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.

-Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts

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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.

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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.

For specific information regarding permanent HHW collection centers, visit the L.A. City Sanitation website.

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CAUTION! DANGER! POISON!

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.

HHW Round-Ups are held in Torrance once a year in June and at least once each quarter in nearby South Bay cities: Carson (September/October), El Segundo (November), Lomita (November/December), Hermosa Beach (January),  Gardena (February/March), Ranchos Palos Verdes (April), and Hawthorne (May). All Round-Up events are free and open to all residents of Los Angeles County.

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.

To learn more about all of your HHW disposal options, visit the LA County Department of Public Works or the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.

THINGS WE WANT YOU TO BRING…

• Motor oil, antifreeze, paint, paint thinner
• Turpentine, cleaners with acids or lye
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Household and car batteries
• Sharps or used needles
• Expired pharmaceuticals and mercury thermometers

THINGS WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO BRING…

• Explosives, ammunition or radioactive materials
• Waste from businesses will NOT be accepted
• Trash or old tires
• White goods such as washers, stoves, refrigerators or air conditioners

In addition, all residents of Los Angeles County may utilize the permanent S.A.F.E Collection Centers located across L.A. County, Antelope Valley, and Signal Hill.