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Are Hazards Hiding in Your House?

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.

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. In addition to HHW, 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 once a year in Torrance and at least once each quarter in nearby cities: Carson (September), Lomita (December), Hermosa Beach (January), and Gardena (March). 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 the following nearby locations:

Saturdays and Sundays                                                            2nd & 4th Saturday
9am – 3pm                                                                                   9am – 2pm
Gaffey Street S.A.F.E. Center                                         EDCO Recycling & Transfer
1400 N. Gaffey St.                                                                      2755 California Ave.
San Pedro, 90731                                                                       Signal Hill, 90755

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.

Walgreens Safe Medication Disposal Program

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.

The types of medications accepted include:

  • prescription and over-the-counter drugs
  • ointments and creams
  • liquids
  • lotions
  • pet medications
  • vitamins

These items are not accepted at the kiosks:

  • hydrogen peroxide
  • needles
  • inhalers
  • aerosol cans
  • thermometers
  • illegal drugs

There are safe medication disposal kiosks at two Torrance Walgreens stores:

4142 Pacific Coast Highway (corner of Anza & PCH)
Torrance, CA 90505
(310) 375-9019

22930 S. Western Avenue (corner of Western & Sepulveda)
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 517- 1851

The drug disposal kiosks are only available during pharmacy hours: 8am to 9pm, daily.

For more information, please visit the Walgreens website.

How to Recycle Old Mercury Thermostats: Remove, Replace, Recycle

Dispose of Old Mercury Thermostats Properly with Thermostat Recycling!

It is ILLEGAL to throw away mercury thermostats! Remember the Three R’s: Remove, Replace, Recycle!

Most modern buildings built in the past twenty years use programmable, LED-display thermostats, but you’ve undoubtedly seen the old school mercury thermostats at plenty of homes and businesses. Like any item containing mercury, thermostats are classified as a universal waste, and must be recycled. Mercury is a bio-toxin hazardous to our health and can cause serious environmental damage if improperly disposed of in landfills.

To encourage the proper dispose of mercury thermostats, Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), a non-profit made up of thermostat manufacturers, has developed a product stewardship program. TRC has partnered with Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) wholesalers, thermostat retailers, and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection sites, to collect old mercury thermostats from the public in a drop-off program. Now, proper recycling of old thermostats is easier than ever!

In 2017, nearly 18,000 mercury thermostats were recycled under this program in California alone.

Since the Thermostat Recycling Corporation launched in 1998, they have collected more than 2.4 MILLION thermostats; that’s more than 11 TONS of mercury diverted from the waste stream.

You can recycle your old mercury thermostats at the following locations:

Take to a local participating program take-back wholesales.  Click here to search for drop-off locations by zip codes.


You can also recycle mercury thermostats at an LA County-run, HHW S.A.F.E. collection center. Click here for a list of local HHW collection centers.

Please call collection sites for hours of operation and to confirm their participation in the Thermostat Recycling program.

To learn more about Thermostat Recycling, check out this video and visit the Thermostat Recycling Corporation’s website.

 

Torrance Used Oil Filter Exchange Program

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

 

<em>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.</em>
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.

 

<em>Giving away filter exchange supplies at the February 17, 2018 filter exchange at AutoZone. </em>
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.

 

<em>Torrance residents recycle at the City’s December 9th, 2017 filter exchange at O’Reilly Auto Parts. </em>
Torrance residents recycle at the City’s December 9th, 2017 filter exchange at O’Reilly Auto Parts.

 

<em>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.</em>
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.

 

<em>Both the used motor oil and the steel in automotive filters can be recycled.</em>
Both the used motor oil and the steel in automotive filters can be recycled.

Coastal Cleanup Day @ Torrance Beach September 15, 2018

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.

Visit the City of Torrance’s Coastal Cleanup Day website for more info.

 

 

To volunteer for the Torrance Beach site, or any Coastal Cleanup Day event, simply register at Heal the Bay’s event page here.

Quick Facts

  • What: Coastal Cleanup Day
  • When: Saturday, September 15th, 2017 from 9am–12pm
  • Where: Torrance Beach and over 50 cleanup sites around Southern California
  • How: Get involved
  • 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.

Celebrate America Recycles Day in Torrance!

Every year on November 15th, tens of thousands of people organize and attend recycling events all over the U.S. in celebration of America Recycles Day (ARD). So far this year, over 2,300 recycling events have been organized and registered on the ARD website by environmentally-minded citizens from all across the country.

Residents of Torrance have an opportunity to get into the environmental spirit during the City of Torrance‘s annual Torrance Recycling Event on Saturday, November 18th. From 8am–12noon, Torrance residents can recycle their electronic waste (e-waste, like computers, TV, cell phones, etc), and get free paper and document shredding services.

 

To learn more about this great community clean-up event and register to attend, visit Keep America Beautiful’s America Recycles Day event page.

Don’t live in the City of Torrance? Don’t worry! Simply enter your zip code on the America Recycles Day ‘Upcoming Events’ page to find an ARD event near you.

Coastal Cleanup Day 2017

Volunteer to help keep Torrance Beach free from litter!

 

By Mike Baird [<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0">CC BY 2.0</a>], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMorro_Bay%2C_CA_Sandspit_Coastal_Cleanup_Day_(CCD)%2C_Saturday%2C_September_17%2C_2011_6.jpg">via Wikimedia Commons</a>
By Mike Baird [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 

Saturday, September 16th marks the 33rd annual Coastal Cleanup Day. Hosted each year by Heal the Bay, Coastal Cleanup Day marks the largest, single-day volunteer event on the planet! This year, Heal the Bay is looking for more than 10,000 local Southern California residents to help pick up trash and debris from more than 50 coastal and inland sites.

Last year, more than 500,000 Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers removed more than 18.3 MILLION pounds of trash from beaches, waterways, parks and streams worldwide.

Torrance residents wishing to volunteer have many potential cleanup sites to choose from, including the City’s own Torrance Beach (aka RAT Beach). The meetup for the Torrance Beach cleanup will be at the Miramar Park/Tower Play Area, 201 Paseo De La Playa, Torrance, 90277.

Click on the interactive map below to choose a cleanup site near you:

 

To volunteer for the Torrance Beach site, or any Coastal Cleanup Day event, simply register at Heal the Bay’s event page here.

Quick Facts

  • What: Coastal Cleanup Day
  • When: Saturday, September 16th, 2017 from 9am–12pm
  • Where: Over 50 cleanup sites around Southern California
  • How: Register online
  • 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.

For more information, visit Heal the Bay’s Coastal Cleanup Day website here.

Join Heal the Bay in Strawless Summer

Help reduce plastic litter by skipping the straw!

Heal the Bay is an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of the Greater Los Angeles area safe, healthy, and clean. For over thirty years, Heal the Bay has been the Southland’s strongest advocate for the ocean.

Litter from plastic debris is a huge problem in Southern California oceans and waterways. In fact, by 2050, it is now estimated there will be more plastic in the ocean by mass than there are fish!

The most common form of plastic debris comes from beverage containers: plastic lids, cups, bottles, sleeves, stirrers, six-pack rings, and yes, straws. According to Heal the Bay, nearly 40% of all debris found in the environment is beverage-related.

Not only is plastic litter unsightly and gross, it’s dangerous. Marine mammals, fish, and birds can choke on litter, causing sickness, injury and death.

The City of Torrance is uniquely situated within the Dominguez Channel, a 70,000 acre watershed, extending from LAX to the Los Angeles Harbor. With Madrona Marsh, one of the only urban wetlands in Southern California, and 1.5 miles of Pacific coastline, the City of Torrance is one of the most geographically diverse areas in Los Angeles, and one of the most reliant on waterways for its natural beauty.

Litter is a constant problem in all densely-populated, urban areas, and the City of Torrance is no exception. Heal the Bay estimates that collectively, Americans use roughly 500 million plastic straws per day–enough to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times. Most of these plastic straws end up in landfills, but too many end up as litter in our local waterways.

To reduce litter from plastic straws, Heal the Bay is launching a new initiative:

Strawless Summer!

  • Make a commitment to Skip The Straw and visit Heal the Bay for details.
  • Enter the #StrawlessSummer contest to win free concert tickets.
  • Remember to reduce plastic debris from beverage containers by using reusable water bottles and coffee cups.

To learn more about reducing plastic pollution in Southern California waterways, Take Action. To learn more about keeping City of Torrance waterways clean, visit the City’s Stormwater homepage.

Keep Torrance Beautiful!

Join Keep America Beautiful in its Fight to End Littering!

Keep America Beautiful is a leading national nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beauty their community environment. For more than six decades, Keep America Beautiful has served as our country’s nonprofit steward of litter prevention.

Over 51 billion pieces of litter appear on U.S. roadways each year. Litter has environmental consequences. Wind and weather, traffic, and animals move litter into gutters, lawns and landscaped areas, alleyways, and parking structures. Litter near storm drains and beach debris are also likely to wash into local waterways, with potential for serious environmental contamination.

Help Stop Littering! It starts with you…

  • Choose not to litter. Make the commitment now and take the “Be Recycled” pledge with thousands of other Americans.
  • Remind others not to litter and why.
  • If you’re a smoker, carry and use a portable or pocket ashtray.
  • If you see litter, pick it up.
  • Volunteer to help prevent and cleanup litter.

Participate in Keep America Beautiful’s exciting programs this Fall. Registration opens Monday, August 1 for Recycle-Bowl and America Recycles Day. The theme for America Recycles Day this year is “Be Recycled.”