Recycling in Pacifica CA

Recycling is easier than ever in Pacifica. With so many restrictions on the items that can be included with your regular garbage and curbside recycling programs, its difficult to know what to do with the toxic waste that modern households seem to generate by the ton nowadays. Here is a list of recycling centers in Pacifica, their hours of operation, along with information on the types of items that are accepted. I will add more comprehensive information over time. When planning to visit any of these recycling centers, its a good idea to contact them in advance to confirm the times when they accept materials for recycling and any requirements they might have for containers.

For disposing of hazardous items like household chemicals for recycling that are not accepted by the recycling centers in the list below, check with the San Mateo County Health Department.

Combined with our home business, we generate a lot of excess cardboard from boxes left over from the mail and UPS as well as the packaging from everything we buy. We're concientious enough to retain all that material for recycling, but I'm very lax about actually getting the job done. The cardboard boxes are a real headache. They have to be cut down flat and bundled properly in order for them to be picked up with the curbside recycling pickup. But my personal bugaboo has been the styrofoam inserts that protect electronic equipment and appliances. They're huge, ungainly, and they tend to break down into a coarse powder if you don't treat them carefully. Fortunately, Coastside Scavenger will take those styrofoam bricks at their recycling yard on Palmetto Avenue here in Pacifica. You can also drop off your excess cardboard if its properly flattened.

Recycling Electronics

Electronic equipment is one of the most prevelant sources of toxic waste in the U.S. today. From televisions and stereos to PCs, PDAs and laptops all contain significant amounts of toxics - especially lead and more exotic elements like selenium. To help combat the problem, the State of California has recently started to add recycling fees to selected electronic components to help finance their disposal.

For people in Pacifica, its helpful to know that Goodwill stores in San Mateo County are now accepting computers and peripherals, TVs under 27 inches, and cell phones for refurbishing and recycling. See their site at http://www.reconnectpartnership.com for details on their programs to put working electronics back to work helping poor and handicapped. There's a Goodwill store on El Camino Real and So. Spruce Ave., kiddy-corner from See's Candies where you can drop off qualifying electronic devices.

For more information on recycling for home and businesses, see Recycle Works, for San Mateo County residents.

Pacifica CA news Main Page

Be sure to see ourPreferred Resources page.