Hazardous waste pickup program set to end

That area includes the towns of Atherton and Hillsborough, as well as the cities of Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo, in addition to some unincorporated areas and areas covered by the West Bay Sanitary District.

Last month, the SBWMA’s Board of Directors declined to accept a newly proposed five-year pricing presented by Waste Management for the collection service. SBWMA, also known as Rethink Waste, negotiated in good faith with Waste Management to extend the current contract for another five years, however, the contract was not renewed.

“It was a very challenging decision for our board,” Joe La Mariana, executive director of Rethink Waste said. “The quality of the service was terrific but it really came down to price and a relatively low participation.”

According to La Mariana, the contract was not renewed because it was not cost effective, as the annual price was set to double by the end of the five-year extension, from $140 per pickup to almost $300.

Additionally, the annual program participation rates were less than 6 percent. Rethink Waste also pointed out that San Mateo County already has an existing household hazardous waste collection drop-off program, which residents can participate in at any time.

While the service is set to end by the end of the year, residents still have time to schedule an At Your Door curbside pickup appointment to get rid of items such as paint, solvents, insecticides, cleaning products, fluorescent lamps, laptops, computer monitors, televisions as well as needles and syringes.

The program is available at no additional cost to residents, including those living in single-family homes, condominiums, townhouses and apartments, according to Rethink Waste.

To participate, residents can call (800) 449-7587 or email atyourdoor@wm.com. Residents are encouraged to call before Dec. 9 to ensure an appointment before the end of the year.

After an appointment is made, residents will receive a collection kit within a few days containing instructions, a plastic bag for the items, labels and a tie for the bag.

Residents should place the items near the front door, garage or another area near the front of the home by 7 a.m. on the day of the appointment, Rethink Waste officials said.

For residents who are unable to participate in the service before Dec. 31, they can take their household hazardous waste material to multiple drop-off locations throughout the county. To drop-off their household hazardous waste, residents must make an appointment at smchealth.org/hhw or call (650) 363-4718. Appointments for drop-off are only available Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

For more information about the program residents can visit rethinkwaste.org/hhw.