Under new state waste disposal rules that took effect Thursday,
San Benito County residents will have to take a drive to the dump
to dispose of dead batteries, fluorescent lights and other
environmentally hazardous materials.
Hollister – Under new state waste disposal rules that took effect Thursday, San Benito County residents will have to take a drive to the dump to dispose of dead batteries, fluorescent lights and other environmentally hazardous materials.
As of Thursday, regulations imposed by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control prohibits items containing heavy metals, called “universal waste,” being thrown in a regular trash bin. For San Benito County residents, that means a trip out to the John Smith Road Landfill.
Because electronics previously had to be brought to the landfill for disposal, the change mainly affects disposal of batteries and fluorescent lights, which will now have to be dropped off at the county’s household hazardous waste facility at John Smith Road Landfill. The household hazardous waste facility, which also accepts paint, cleaners and other chemicals, is open on the third Saturday of each month from 9am to noon. Batteries and lights can be dropped off for free.
The county landfill, located at 2650 John Smith Road, accepts televisions, mercury thermostats and computers free of charge everyday because consumers pay a state-imposed “advance disposal fee” when they buy the products, according to Mandy Rose, the director of Integrated Waste Management, which oversees the landfill. But getting rid of other things, such as printers, keyboards and hand-held electronic devices will cost at least $10 – the landfill’s minimum disposal charge, Rose said.
The rules for separating universal waste from other garbage were established in 2002. Since then, households and small businesses have been exempt to give local agencies time to develop infrastructure to collect and handle the waste, according to the DTSC. The exemption ended Thursday.
“These materials can endanger public health and harm the environment when improperly disposed,” DTSC Director Maureen Gorsen said in a written statement. Mercury is toxic, and when released into the environment from improper disposal it can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, according to the DTSC.
Rose said that sorting out universal waste when people bring loads to the dump should not be a problem. Workers will ask if there are any universal waste items in the load, she said. Workers will also act as “spotters” to look for items as loads are being dumped at the landfill, she said.
“Most of the time, people are reasonably honest about it,” Rose said.
However, she did say that she was not sure how the new regulations will be enforced within the city garbage service. She is hoping people will adapt to follow the rules.
“It’s a lot like trying to get people to recycle,” she said. “You have to constantly put it in front of people that they have to do it differently now.”
For more information on universal waste and disposal rules, visit www.dtsc.ca.gov.
