Mercury thermometers are easily recognized by the silvery-white liquid contained inside. This liquid is mercury. Mercury thermometers are typically made of glass. Thermometers with a red or blue liquid DO NOT contain mercury. Mercury thermometers and other mercury containing devices, such as ignition switches and thermostats, can be dropped off at the two Orange County Hazardous Waste Collection sites listed at the top of the page.
Mercury fever thermometers are a source of mercury contamination to the environment. If a broken mercury thermometer isn't cleaned up properly, the mercury will evaporate slowly over time, potentially reaching dangerous levels in indoor air and posing a long-term health risk in the user's home. Clean up and proper disposal of even small mercury spills is important.
Used motor oil, used oil filters, and car batteries can be taken along with other HHW to the Collection Facility at the Orange County Landfill or L.B. McLeod transfer station. Privately operated public used oil collection centers can be located by calling 1-800-741-4337 and entering your zip code.
National auto-parts chain stores will also accept used oil and batteries at no charge and without purchase requirements. However, used oil filters can only be disposed of at a household hazardous waste facility. Please don't put used oil filters, no matter how well drained, into the trash – you pose a great risk of contaminating our groundwater supply if you do.
Electronic, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that have reached end-of-life use or are simply being discarded by their owners.
These include a wide range of items, such as:
televisions and computer monitors
computers and computer peripherals (e.g., monitors and keyboards)
audio and stereo equipment
VCRs and DVD players
video cameras
telephones, cellular phones, and other wireless devices
fax and copy machines
video game consoles
The Collection Facility at the Orange County Landfill on Young Pine Road will accept e-waste. However, many items can be reused or recycled rather than discarded. For ideas visit EPA's E-Cycling Web site (External Site) or consider the ideas below:
Check with your local Victim Services or Police/Sheriff Departments to see if they collect cell phones.
If you are upgrading electronics, consider donating working televisions, stereo equipment, video/DVD players, and electronic games to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or other charitable organization. Always check with the organization to be sure they can use them, instead of simply dropping them off and making disposal someone else's problem. Outdated computers and related peripherals are usually not wanted.
Many printer cartridges (External Site) can be returned to the manufacturer for recycling. Some organizations collect them to raise money.
Rechargeable (NiCd, Li+, Ni-MH) batteries for recycling can be taken to any participant in the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation's (RBRC, non-profit) "Charge Up!" program at no cost. Some local participants include Ameritech, Best Buy, Cellular One, Cingular, Circuit City, Home Depot, Radio Shack, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. For more information on recycling batteries please visit the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (External Site) or call 1-800-8-BATTERY.
Compact Fluorescents Lamps (CFL): Swapping out traditional, incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs will help reduce global warming as well energy bills. Please dispose of used CFLs properly (PDF - 113KB).
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