Every Thursday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, a remarkable service is offered for free to Santa Cruz County residents. At the Ben Lomond Transfer Station (“The Dump”), located on Newell Creek Rd. off Glen Arbor, the County provides Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) disposal for free. Many products from garden and yard, automobile maintenance, or kitchen and bathroom, can be extremely hazardous if not disposed of properly. Paints, paint removers, paint thinner, solvents, garden chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, glue, wood preservatives, photographic chemicals, pool and hot tub chemicals, and dry cleaning solvents may all be taken to the facility during business hours. (Ammunition or explosives must be picked up by your local law enforcement agency; just call the non-emergency number for the County Sheriff and they will come help you out with those materials.)

Also accepted at the Transfer Station HHW facility on Thursdays are:

• aerosol cans
• auto repair products
• car polish/wax
• engine cleaners
• gasoline
• parts cleaners

These items have hazardous ingredients and must be brought to the HHW facility on Thursdays 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM (regular “dump” hours):

• fluorescent bulbs
• air fresheners
• bathroom cleaners
• disinfectants
• drain cleaners
• floor care products
• furniture polish
• indoor insecticides
• nail polish
• outdated medicine
• oven cleaners
• rug or upholstery cleaners

Some automotive products, though hazardous, are accepted Monday’s through Saturday’s at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station (not at Boulder Creek or Felton!). These include:

• batteries
• antifreeze
• brake fluid
• transmission fluids
• motor oil
• oil filters
• household batteries

If you have medical waste or syringes, please contact Environmental Health at the County at 454-2022 for assistance.

Empty containers of these products are generally recyclable. The main exception is used motor oil containers, which must be disposed of in the trash if completely empty. For further information call 454-2606. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO BRING THEIR WASTE TO THE COLLECTION FACILITY, THE HHW TEAM WILL PICK UP SUCH ITEMS FROM YOUR HOME. Please call the same number to make an appointment for pickup.