A TV, battery, oil jug and CFL bulb float down on parachutes against a cartoon background of sky, clouds and green ground. "Burbank Recycle Center - DROP ZONE" is on the right side with a recycle symbol, "ELECTRONICS, BATTERIES, FLOURESCENTS & USED OIL" is on the right.

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Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)

HHW Section 1

Almost every home has common household products containing chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals and the environment.  Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes items like cleaners, paints, herbicides, insecticides, and solvents. It is both dangerous and illegal to disposal of HHW in the garbage, recycling containers, down any drain (especially storm drains), on the ground, or any way they could enter the environment.

The Burbank Recycle Center accepts specific kinds of Household Hazardous Waste for Burbank Residents.

Please see our accepted materials for Burbank Residents further down the page.

HHW Section 2

View the sections below for information on how to responsibly dispose of common HHW items

A simple graphic of a waste collection truck on fire near a cart with a battery inside of a prohibited sign; "BATTERIES SPARK - NEVER PUT IN CARTS"

Batteries, tanks, needles and the other hazardous waste can be a dangerous risk to our trucks, staff and facilities. These items require responsible drop-off at designated collection sites or events.  Most are free for Burbank residents and/or LA County residents.

HHW Section 3

Burbank Resident HHW Disposal Option

Weekday Option:

BURBANK RECYCLE CENTER

Drop Zone Collection Center
500 South Flower Street
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 238-3900
Monday through Friday : 8 AM - 5 PM*
*Closed during City of Burbank holidays

The Drop Zone is a convenient and safe disposal collection program for Burbank residents and small businesses.

Accepted items:
  • Antifreeze
  • Batteries¹
  • Electronic waste
  • Lightbulbs & tubes²
  • Toner and InkJet cartridges³
  • Used motor oil⁴ & filters
ID or other proof of Burbank residency may be requested upon drop-off. 
¹ E-bike batteries are not accepted.
² Ten (10) tubes per resident per year.
³ Aftermarket or generic cartridges are not accepted.
⁴ Up to five (5) gallons a week.

Paint, chemicals, medical waste and other unspecified HHW items are not accepted.

LA County Resident HHW Disposal Option

 

Weekend Option:

LA S.A.F.E. COLLECTION CENTERS

East Valley Randall Street S.A.F.E. Center
11025 Randall Street
Sun Valley, CA 91352
(800) 773-2489
Saturday and Sunday 9 AM – 3 PM*
*Closed during City of Los Angeles holidays

S.A.F.E. Centers take a wide variety of materials, but you should always check their website or call their help line before you go.
Additional information regarding their other locations, policies and a list of accepted materials can be viewed on their website: S.A.F.E. Centers

Typical S.A.F.E. Collection Center accepted items:
  • Antifreeze
  • Batteries
  • Cleaning chemicals
  • Compressed gas cylinders
  • Electronic waste
  • Fuels & combustables
  • Herbicides & insecticides
  • Lightbulbs & tubes
  • Medications, vitamins & sharps
  • Motor oil & oil filters
  • Paints & solvents
  • Toner & InkJet cartridges
View accepted items, instructions, restrictions, and drop-off locations here: 
Los Angeles City Sanitation — S.A.F.E. Collection Centers
Click to learn more about what items in the State of California require special drop-off for disposal. Additional disposal information is available below.
DISPOSAL INFORMATION FOR COMMON HHW

Electronic waste (e-waste) is anything that plugs into an outlet or uses a battery. It is illegal to place e-waste in any collection container and must be dropped off.

Consider Donation 
If the item is still usable donate or give away using free marketplace sites. 

Repair, Don’t Replace!
Instead of buying new, support local businesses by having them repair and refurbish broken items. Search for repair options in your area.

Drop off limit:  100 lbs of e-waste per year per household

It is illegal in California to dispose of batteries in the trash or recycling containers.  Because many types of batteries contain chemicals that can ignite, it is important to dispose of them correctly by dropping them off at an official battery collection program. 

DROP-OFF INSTRUCTIONS:
Step One: Prep and Protect the Terminals
Single Use - AAA, AA, C, D: These don’t require special taping or handling.

Single Use - Coin cell and lithum: Bag each battery by itself, separately.    

Rechargables and 6 or 9 volt:  To properly secure a battery, place a piece of tape over the positive terminal end so that it does not come into contact with metal or other batteries. (Use clear packing, non-conductive electrical or duct tape—NO MASKING TAPE)  Place enough tape to safely cover the positive terminal but keep the label visible. Keep in mind, every battery that is recycled is sorted by type and chemistry so avoid wrapping the entire battery in tape or taping different chemistries together.

(NOTE: Burbank Recycle Center does not accept E-bike batteries.)  
 
Step Two—Bag
Place batteries into a secured, clear  plastic produce or sandwich bag and drop off at a S.A.F.E. Collection Center or the Burbank Recycle Center.
Only Burbank residents can drop off at Burbank Recycle Center’s Drop Zone.


CalRecycle’s Other Ways You Can Help:

Already have rechargeable batteries that need to be recycled? Find additional drop off options at www.call2recycle.org for rechargeable batteries. Please do not put single use batteries in these collection bins.

  • Look for Portable Electronic Devices that Do Not Use Batteries.
    Some devices instead use a capacitor that is recharged, typically by shaking the device or by normal use rather than batteries. See Alternative Power Products for details.

  • Reduce. Use single-use batteries wisely to avoid unnecessary replacement and disposal.

Burbank Recycle Center accepts most ink cartridges, as long as the brand name is displayed (Brother, HP, Canon, etc.). 

Aftermarket (generic) cartridges are not accepted. Unfortunately, market forces offer limited recycling options for aftermarket or refilled cartridges, so these will go in the trash.

Reduce and reuse!  Save money and help reduce waste by refilling your own!

Identifying a CFL Bulb

If you are unsure if your bulb is CFL, check if your bulb is listed with these other CFL bulbs: linear, U-tube and circline fluorescent tubes, bug zappers, tanning bulbs, black lights, germicidal bulbs, high output bulbs and cold-cathode fluorescent bulbs.

Toxic Alert!  Never Throw in the Garbage
Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury, which is a hazard for your health and the environment. Never throw them away. Store them outside in a sealed container, and dispose of them as hazardous waste. 

Drop off limit: 10 bulbs per household per year. 

An iridescent oil spill covers a macro image of sand. Text is emblazoned across the image, "Oil Pollutes! Fix Leaks. Clean Spills. Recycle Used Motor Oil." A small infographic of an oil jug equated to a drop of water reads, "1 gallon of oil = Million gallons polluted water" in the lower right corner of the image. The lower left states, "Funded by CalRecycle" and, "Recycle Used Oil".

Read how recycling used motor oil drives pollution prevention with the Burbank Recycle Center’s “Oil Change"

Did you know that we operate Burbank's only self-service draining program? This means you can keep your container, if you desire, when you bring your used motor oil to the Drop Zone for recycling. We also pay you back ten cents per quart (maximum 5 gallons a week per person). 

There are additional motor oil recycling options at these Used Oil Certified Collection Centers.

(NOTE:  Cooking oil is not accepted.)

Benefits of Recycling Used Motor Oil

It takes 42 gallons of crude oil, but only one gallon of used oil, to produce 2 ½ quarts of new lubricating oil. Used motor oil can be re-refined into new lubricants, burned as fuel, or re-refined and made into a high-quality motor oil.

Protect Our Waterways
Oil poured into the trash, down household drains, into storm drains, or directly onto the ground pollutes groundwater, streams, rivers, and lakes. Recycling oil not only protects the environment, it preserves non-renewable resources.

California’s mattress stewardship program, Bye Bye Mattress is a law designed to eliminate illegally dumped mattresses by providing convenient recycling collection programs.
 
Mattresses (including foam), box springs and futon pad recycling options for Burbank residents:

1) RETAILER TAKE BACK ON NEW PURCHASES: Make sure you ask your local or online retailer about their program for collecting your old mattress.  Under the State of California mattress recycling program, if your new mattress is delivered for free*, the retailer (including online sellers) must offer to pick up the old one. 

*This program is administered by the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) and funded through a $10.50 recyclying fee collected from consumers at point-of-sale when a mattress or box spring is purchased. If you are having difficulty with your retailer pick up service, contact [email protected]. Please include the date of delivery and retailer name. 

OTHER DISPOSAL OPTIONS:

2) Bulky Item Pickup for a handling fee

3) Burbank Recycle Center drop off for free* (limit three allowed items per resident per year) 

4) Donation--if the mattress is in good condition, give it away through local marketplace sites like Buy Nothing, Nextdoor, Craigstlist, Freecycle, etc..  Charities are usually not able to take used mattresses but check locally for opportunities or ask mattress retailers about possible charity partnerships.  
How to Donate, Recycle, or Get Rid of Your Mattress - Amerisleep
 

*Products that are NOT eligible for the Bye Bye Mattress free drop-off include:

  • Items that are wet, heavily soiled or infested with bedbugs
  • Air mattresses that contain no upholstery material (such as camping beds)
  • Car beds
  • Cushions (such as from chairs, couches or patio furniture)
  • Juvenile products including, carriages, baskets, dressing tables, strollers, playpens, infant carriers, lounge pad, crib bumpers
  • Mattress pads
  • Mattress toppers
  • Pillows
  • Sleeping bags
  • Sofa beds
  • Collapsible roll-away beds
  • Water beds that contain no upholstery material
 
  • NOTE: Metal frames that are no longer usable can be dropped off at the Burbank Recycle Center in the scrap metal bin.
Commercial Options:
Business that collect used mattress can drop off at the Burbank Recycle Center for a fee. Call (818) 276-0434 for pricing.

Find other mattress drop-off sites and information at Bye Bye Mattress. Visit their FAQ to find out what defines a recycleable mattress product. 

The Burbank Recycle Center's Drop Zone does not accept medicines or sharps for drop off.  
Unused, unwanted, and expired medications (including narcotics) should NEVER go in the recycling, trash, or toilet but can be taken a HHW facility or event.

 

Local Retailer Take Back
Some pharmacy retailers now have convenient collection for used medications (sharps are not allowed) at 24-hour locations.


Sharps (Needles)

It is illegal to put sharps in the trash or recycling. Workers get hurt! 

View the sharps drop off instructions (PDF) before visiting the Drop Zone. 
 

To dispose of needles and sharps, place them in designated sharps containers and bring them to a hazardous waste facility.

If you don’t have access to a designated sharps container, you can use a #2 sturdy laundry detergent bottle as long as the cap is secured and clearly marked as “SHARPS”. 
(Only use large and sturdy bottles that keep the needles from poking out).

Paint is one of the most common HHW items but can be easily recycled into new products. The paint industry's product stewardship collection program, Paintcare, provides convenient drop-off with participating retailers or other HHW collection options. Visit Paintcare to learn about paint recycling collection programs near you and what they accept. Individuals or businesses with over 100 gallons of paint need to contact PaintCare separately.

The Burbank Recycle Center's Drop Zone does not accept paint for drop off.  Please go to Paintcare.org for a listing of convenient local drop off options.
Carpet is recyclable and can be made into everyday products across various industries. Please visit CarpetRecovery.org/CA to find your nearest carpet recycling drop-off site and operating hours.

Follow these steps to prepare carpet for recycling and prevent it from going to landfill:

• Ensure the carpet is dry and free of debris
• Broadloom carpet: cut into manageable lengths, roll and tie; and separate padding
• Carpet tiles: stack, wrap with plastic, and strap for transport
Railroad ties and other treated woods are considered household hazardous waste. 

Railroad ties are soaked in creosote, a tarry byproduct of wood or coal, used to protect wood from pests and rot. These materials need to be disposed of at a S.A.F.E Collection Center.
The Burbank Recycle Center's Drop Zone does not accept asbestos for drop off. It must go to a S.A.F.E. Collection Center (visit their page to see their requirements).

For additional guidence on asbestos, please visit:
https://dtsc.ca.gov/managing-asbestos-hazardous-waste/
Most government sponsored drop-off programs are intended for residents and may have some restrictions for business. The Burbank Recycle Center's Drop Zone allows Burbank businesses to drop off small amounts of e-waste, batteries and bulbs (proof of Burbank address is required).  Please call our office in advance to review your items. 

If your business has a large amount of materials, it is recommended that you work with a specialized HHW collection company that can serve your specific needs. View the City of Los Angeles Conditionally Exempt Small Quality Generator (CESQG) program (PDF) for additional information. 
A more expansive list of disposal items and information can be found on the City of Burbank's "Where it Goes" site. Click to access a search tool that catalogs over 400 materials.
additional resources
LOCATION, HOURS, & CONTACT
Location
Recycle Center
500 S. Flower St.
Burbank, CA 91502
Drop Zone Hours*
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

*Drop Zone Drop-Off is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and on City Holidays.

NOTE: Recycle Center staff office is closed 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for lunch.
Contact
Phone: 
(818) 238-3900