Public Works - Services
Household Hazardous Waste
 

City Refuse and Recycling Hotline: (949) 497-0323
Waste Management of Orange Co.: (949) 642-1191
County Household Hazardous Waste: (714) 834-6752
Curbside, Inc.: (800) 449-7587

FREE Home Collection Available to Laguna Beach Residents

Laguna Beach residents can have their household hazardous waste picked up right at the doorstep on demand, year-round.  All you need to do is call 1-800-HHW-PKUP (1-800-449-7587) and ask for the next available pick-up date in Laguna Beach.  The City’s contractor, Curbside Inc., will send a kit and instructions prior to the scheduled collection date. 

Eligible materials will be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.  Residents do not have to be home when materials are collected.  Senior and disabled residents can request in-home assistance in gathering and packing their materials.  In addition to materials such as paint and automotive products, pesticides and pool chemicals, the program also accepts electronic waste or e-waste such as computer monitors, televisions, and other electronic devices. Cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors and televisions contain significant amounts of lead and are considered hazardous by the State.  E-waste items cannot be placed into the regular trash or taken to the landfills.   Explosives, ammunition, solid waste for landfill or recycling, tires, and biological and radioactive wastes cannot be accepted.  Curbside Inc. recycles more than 90 percent of all materials it collects.  Businesses generating small amounts of hazardous waste can also call Curbside Inc. at (800) HHW-PKUP (1-800-449-7587) for convenient door to door service for a fee.  Click here for a printable flyer on the City’s home collection program.

County of Orange Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers

Orange County residents may dispose of household hazardous waste, at no charge, by taking it to any one of four facilities located throughout the County.

• 6411 Oak Canyon, Irvine
• Prima Deshecha Landfill, San Juan Capistrano
• 1131 Blue Gum Street, Anaheim
• 17121 Nichols Street, Huntington Beach

The collection center nearest to Laguna Beach is the Irvine facility.  The Irvine center is located at 6411 Oak Canyon.  From Laguna Beach, travel east on Laguna Canyon Road to I-5 north.  Exit at Sand Canyon and turn right back towards Laguna Beach.  Turn right on Oak Canyon.  The collection center is located in a light industrial complex.

The other collection center close to Laguna Beach is at the landfill located in San Juan Capistrano. Take the 5 freeway to Ortega Highway. Travel east on Ortega Highway approximately 2.5 miles to the intersection of Ortega and La Pata. Turn right on La Pata and proceed approximately 2 miles to the landfill scale house. The scale house will direct you to the household hazardous waste collection site.

A unique and free program called Stop & Swap is also available that allows you to drop off household, yard and car care products that you no longer need and pick up others that you use. Currently this program is only available at the Anaheim, Irvine and Huntington Beach locations. For information please call the Orange County Household Hazardous Waste Hotline at (714) 834-6752 or visit http://www.oc.ca.gov/iwmd for more information.

Recycle Used Motor Oil

Located at 890 South Coast Highway at Thalia Street, Laguna Pete's Automotive will accept your used motor oil free of charge.  Laguna Pete's is certified by the State of California and is a good neighbor providing this important service.  For details call 494-7408.  For the locations of additional certified collection centers and other recycling information, call 1 (800) CLEANUP or visit http://www.1800cleanup on the web.

Safer Alternatives to Hazardous Household Products

PRODUCT SAFE SUBSTITUTES AND ALTERNATIVES

Oven Cleaners - Keep oven clean with baking or washing soda: Mix 3 tbsp. soda, 1 cup warm water. Sprinkle salt on oven spill when oven is warm and clean.

Chlorine Bleach - Use dry bleach, borax or soda to whiten. (Never mix with ammonia)

Ammonia and Acid - For windows and mirrors, use vinegar and water. (2-tsp. vinegar to 1 quart water) and rub with newspaper. For bathrooms, coffeepots, chrome, copper and tile, use dissolved baking soda.

Abrasive Scouring - Use baking soda or borax as a substitute. (Never mix powders with ammonia)

Furniture Polish - Dissolve 1-tsp. Lemon oil into one pint mineral oil. Or to to use light, soapy water to clean and soft cloths to shine.

Shoe Polish - Avoid polishes which contain trichloroethylene, methylene chloride or nitrobenzene.

Silver Polish - Soak silver in 1 quart warm water with 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and a small piece of aluminum foil and polish.

Spot Removers - Use club soda, immediate cold water, corn meal and water paste or lemon juice.

Mothballs - Cedar chips, newspaper or dried lavender will discourage moths.

Air Fresheners - Ventilate. Set vinegar out in an open dish. Use an opened box of baking soda in enclosed areas such as refrigerators or closets. Add cloves and cinnamon to boiling water and simmer.

Snail and Slug Killer - Fill a shallow pan with stale beer and place in the infested area. Overturn clay pots and snails will seek shelter in them from the heat. Lay boards between rows of planted vegetables. Snails often attach themselves to underside of boards.

Houseplant Insecticide - Spray leaves with mild soapy water and rinse.

Pet Care Products - Give your pet brewers yeast or vitamin B to prevent fleas and other parasites. Use herbal baths.