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Material List (Hazardous or Special Waste)

Learn how to properly dispose of a specific hazardous or special waste material (A-Z):

Appliances and Furniture Working small appliances and furniture in acceptable condition can be donated at Hospice of Humboldt and Humboldt Furniture. Recology Arcata offers twice/year bulky item pickup at no charge for its residential customers. Call (707) 683-4853 for more information.	Asbestos Once removed, asbestos can be taken to Humboldt Waste Management Authority for disposal. Proper disposal guidelines must be followed. Asbestos is a mineral that is resistant to heat, electricity, and corrosion. These qualities lead to it being widely used in construction before its associated health risks were discovered, and since then regulations have been put in place to reduce the risk of exposure. Inhaling asbestos can cause serious disease, or even cancer, so it is important to contact a professional to assist in the handling of asbestos.
Batteries Batteries should be sealed in a bag and can be dropped off at Hensel’s Ace Hardware, Sunnybrae Ace Hardware, or the Humboldt Waste Management Authority.	Carpet Recology Arcata offers twice/year bulky item pickup at no charge for its residential customers. The Humboldt Waste Management Authority provides carpet recycling.
Clothes Donate and/or sell clothes, shoes, and linens in good condition: Hospice of Humboldt (adult) The Clothing Dock (adult) Youth Ability (adult + kids) Miranda's Rescue (adult) JuJu Bee's (kids) Eureka Rescue Mission (adult + kids) Tailwaggers Thrift Shop (adult) American Cancer Society Discovery Shop (adult + kids)	Electronics E-waste can be taken to Humboldt Sanitation Transfer Station in McKinleyville for a fee (fee varies) or Eel River Salvage in Fortuna. Electronic items can often be taken back to the manufacturer. Some manufacturers will take back their old equipment for reuse or recycling: Dell HP Acer Apple Samsung
Light Bulbs Dispose of household light bulbs at the Humboldt Waste Management Authority or up to 5 per visit at Hensel’s Ace Hardware. Fluorescent tubes up to four feet can be dropped off at Hensel’s Ace Hardware. Anything larger should be dropped off at HWMA.	Mattresses Recology Arcata offers twice/year bulky item pickup at no charge for its residential customers. Residents can also take mattresses and box springs to the HWMA: Hawthorne Street Transfer Station for free recycling.
Medical Sharps Place home-generated sharps waste in biohazard containers. Biohazard containers are available for purchase at pharmacies and some office supply stores. Contact your health care provider, local pharmacies, hospitals or clinics to ask if they offer a collection a program. Medical sharps can be taken to Humboldt Waste Management Authority. Sharps must be in a biohazard container. The statewide program provider Med-Project is required by law to provide free mail-back containers for medication and sharps disposal. They also list participating collection sites.	Motor Oil & Filters Franklin’s Service is Arcata’s certified used oil collection center. You can receive 40 cents/gallon for your used motor oil by taking it to a certified used oil collection center. Call for hours before bringing your used motor oil. Check out more resources on our Used Oil Recycling page.
Pharmaceuticals A medication disposal bin is available inside the Arcata Police Department lobby located at 736 F Street. Drop-offs can be made Monday-Friday from 9am - 5pm. Please remove medications from their containers and place them in a sealed or zipped plastic bag before dropping them into the bin. Illegal substances, lotions, inhalers, aerosol cans, thermometers, hydrogen peroxide, or sharps cannot be accepted. Open Door Clinics in McKinleyville, Arcata, and Eureka also have drop boxes where you can drop off your leftover medicines during normal business hours. Please review No Drugs Down the Drain (PDF) for details on proper disposal of pharmaceuticals. The statewide program provider Med-Project is required by law to provide free mail-back containers for medication and sharps disposal. They also list participating collection sites.	Tires Tires can be taken to Humboldt Waste Management Authority for a fee. Free tire recycling program is back on at the Eureka Transfer Station! This program ends when grant funds run out or June 30, 2025, whichever comes first. Click here for more information and contact information!