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Pollution Prevention Tips

Electronic Waste

Electronic waste includes the following items:

Air Purifiers
Alarm Clocks
Blood Glucose Monitors
Camcorders
CD players
Cell Phones*
Computers / CPUs / Laptops
Computer Monitors (CRTs & flatscreens)
Copiers (home use, desktop)
Digital Camera
Digital Thermometer
DVD Players
I-Pods & MP3 Players
Microwave Ovens (home use)
Home Use Medical (sterilized) Monitors
Pagers
PDAs
Printer/Scanner/Fax (home use)
Radios – all types (car & home)
Telephones & Answering Machines
Copiers (home use, desktop)
Televisions (CRTs & flatscreens) & VCRs
Video Game Consoles & Accessories
Walkie Talkies

* As of July 1, 2006, according to CA Assembly Bill 2901, any store that sells cellular phones must in turn accept and collect used cell phones for recycling and proper disposal.

The aforementioned items may contain toxic chemicals, such as lead and mercury, and may NOT be disposed of in the trash can.

You may take them, free of charge, to any of the four Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers located in Orange County including the center in located Irvine at 6411 Oak Canyon. Proof of residency is required.

E-Waste Pick-up - Irvine residents with curbside service may request free pick up of electronic waste (i.e. batteries, computers, cell phones, TVs, etc.) as part of Waste Management of Orange County’s bulky item pick up service two times per year. To schedule a free pick up, please contact Waste Management at: 949-642-1191. Additional pick ups are available for a nominal fee.

Sharps / Syringes

To properly dispose of sharps, residents of Irvine have a number of options.

Orange County HHW Collection Centers accept sharps, which includes the following:

hypodermic needles
lancets
test strips
other small quantity medical waste

All sharps must be placed in a puncture-proof container such as a bleach bottle and sealed. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center will not return the container to the resident.

A new direct-delivery program provided by Waste Management delivers one Sharps container per year at no charge to residents who need and request them (limit one per household while supplies last). Residents can request a container for sharps by calling Waste Management directly at its local customer service number 949-642-1191. Purchase of additional containers can also be arranged by calling Waste Management directly or visiting wm.com.

City of Irvine has teamed up with Waste Management to provide a FREE sharps return kit at local pharmacies.

The mailing system for sharps disposal includes a specially designed sharps container and a prepaid postage shipping container to transport the waste safely to certified medical waste facilities where it is destroyed.

For more information, please contact Irvine Recycles at 949-724-7669 or visit a participating pharmacy from the list below.