Every garage cleanout turns up the same two problem piles: a shelf of half-used paint cans and a box of dead electronics. Neither can go in the trash in California, but both have free places to go. Which one is closest depends on which city you live in, so this post is sorted that way.
Why the trash isn't an option
California bans a long list of electronics from the trash, including TVs, monitors, laptops, computer CPUs, printers, microwaves and cell phones.[1] All batteries are banned from the trash, recycling and organics bins too, from AAAs to car batteries.[1] For paint, the rule is stricter than most people expect: even dried paint may not go in the trash.[2]
The good news is that none of the options below charge you to drop off.
City of LA (most of the Valley): the S.A.F.E. Centers
North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Northridge and most of the rest of the Valley are inside the City of LA.[3] Residents here use LA Sanitation's S.A.F.E. Centers, which take household hazardous waste and electronics free from City and LA County residents.[4],[5]
| Center | Address | Open |
|---|---|---|
| East Valley (Randall St.) | 11025 Randall St., Sun Valley 91352 | Sat–Sun, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.[5] |
| North Valley (Nicole Bernson) | 10241 N. Balboa Blvd., Northridge 91325 | Sat–Sun, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.[6] |
| Los Angeles–Glendale | 4600 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles 90039 | Saturdays only, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., state photo ID required[7] |
What they take: paints, stains and solvents, aerosol cans, household cleaners, fluorescent bulbs and mercury items, pesticides, pool chemicals, propane cylinders, batteries, motor oil and electronics.[4]
What they don't: explosives, radioactive materials and medical waste.[4]
Limits: up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste per visit, and staff ask for the address it came from.[4] You stay in your car with the engine off while staff unload, so pack items in the trunk with lids tight and containers upright.[4]
Two timing notes: the Randall Street center closes from December 24 through January 3,[5] and centers may close or change hours in bad weather.[5]
Large electronics can also go out at the curb. In the City of LA, TVs, computers and monitors are accepted in free bulky item pickup,[8] and LASAN recommends wiping personal data first.[4]
Paint anywhere in California: PaintCare
PaintCare runs year-round paint drop-off sites across the state, free for households and businesses.[9] It takes house paints, primers, stains, sealers, deck coatings, varnish and similar products.[10]
A few rules decide whether your cans get accepted:
- Paint has to be in its original container, 5 gallons or smaller, with the original label and the lid secured. Open, leaking, empty or unlabeled cans are turned away.[11]
- Every site takes at least 5 gallons per visit, and some take more, so call ahead.[2]
- Aerosol spray paint, thinners, auto paint, art paint, caulk, glue and roof patch aren't PaintCare items.[11] Most of those can go to a S.A.F.E. Center instead.
- If you've got 100 gallons or more, you can ask PaintCare for a free Large Volume Pickup.[12]
Burbank: the Recycle Center Drop Zone
Burbank residents and small businesses can use the Drop Zone at the Burbank Recycle Center, 500 S. Flower St., (818) 238-3900. It takes batteries, computers and laptops, TVs and monitors, e-bikes and hoverboards, cords and power strips, light bulbs and tubes, antifreeze, and brand-name ink and toner cartridges, and it may ask for proof of residency.[13] The City's two official pages give different hours, so call first.[13]
Limits are 100 pounds of e-waste per household per year and 10 fluorescent tubes or bulbs, and loose e-bike batteries aren't accepted.[13] The Drop Zone doesn't take paint, chemicals, motor oil or medical waste.[13] For paint, Burbank sends residents to PaintCare sites,[13] and for other hazardous waste, to the Randall Street S.A.F.E. Center in Sun Valley.[13]
Glendale: two separate sites
Glendale splits it up. Hazardous waste goes to the Fire Department's HHW facility at 780 Flower St., open every Wednesday and the second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.[14] It's for Glendale and La Cañada residents with proof of residency.[14] It takes paint and thinners, batteries including car batteries, fluorescent and LED lamps, pool and garden chemicals, motor oil and propane tanks.[14] It does not take e-waste.[14]
Electronics go to the Glendale Recycling Center at 540 W. Chevy Chase Dr., open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.[15] On the City's older table, phones, computers, tablets and TVs are free, while printers, microwaves, vacuums and other circuit-board items carry a fee.[16]
Pasadena and county-wide options
Pasadena points residents to the City of LA's S.A.F.E. Centers and names the Los Angeles–Glendale center on Colorado Blvd. as its local one.[17],[18] The City also holds one-day e-waste and shredding events at the Rose Bowl through the year.[19]
Anywhere in the County, the free one-day drive-through HHW and e-waste events are another route. Most run on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with no appointment.[20]
If the electronics still work
A working TV or laptop doesn't have to be recycled yet. CalRecycle's order is reduce, reuse, then recycle what can't be repaired.[21] Goodwill Southern California accepts e-waste in any condition,[22] which makes it an easy stop if you're already dropping off clothes.
Where we fit in
We're a hauling crew, not a hazardous waste facility, so paint and chemicals are the part of a cleanout you'll handle through the options above. We don't take paint, chemicals (like motor oil and solvents), tires, asbestos, medical waste, ammunition or propane tanks, empty or full. We'll point you to the right drop-off. The rest of the garage, the shelving, the broken furniture, the boxes and the old electronics, is what we're good at. We take electronics: TVs, computers, monitors and printers. We're a family-run crew based on Victory Blvd in North Hollywood. Same-day service most days when you reach us by early afternoon; next-morning slots are common. Our garage cleanout page covers how that works, and the full item guides for TVs and electronics and paint and chemicals go deeper on both piles.