Recycling

Household Recycling Program

In July 2017, Park Disposal (EDCO) expanded its trash collection program to include green waste recycling. New trash cans including a 95 gallon grey trash and a 95 gallon green waste carts were issued to all single family homes automated curbside recycling program at no additional cost. The blue recycling trash can (max 65 gallon) will still be used.

green2 (1)The following items should be placed in the GREEN waste cart:

  • Food and Organic waste . 
  • Grass Clippings
  • Brush
  • Weeds
  • Hedge Trimmings
  • Branches
  • Leaves
  • Palm Fronds
  • Wood (including untreated and non-lead based painted) 

A Guide to PARK’s New Organics Recycling Program

The following items should be placed in the BLUE recycling cart:EDCO_BlueBin

  • Recyclable Plastics Labeled 1 through 7
  • Aluminum and Steel Cans (including empty aerosol cans)
  • Glass Bottles and Jars
  • Mixed Paper (junk mail, magazines, cereal boxes, shredded paper, etc.)
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic Water and Soda Bottles
  • Telephone Books

Additional blue recycling carts are available at no additional cost and a smaller cart option is available upon request. trash bin

All other waste items should be placed in the GRAY waste containers, including:

  • Plastics not labeled with a number 1 through 7 and the recycle symbol
  • Trash Bags and Plastic Grocery Bags
  • Pet or Diaper Waste


For more information about the automated waste collection program, please visit www.LaPalmaRecycles.com or call Park Disposal at (714) 522-3577.

shutterstock-recycle___13100605841Bottles and Cans
La Palma residents have several convenient options for recycling and redeeming CRV bottles and cans. The primary place to recycle these beverage containers is at a certified recycling center. There are approximately 2,000 certified recycling centers located throughout the state. To find the nearest location, please visit CalRecycle or call CalRecycle's toll-free hotline at 1-800-RECYCLE.

Residents that do not want to redeem their bottles and cans for cash, can simple place them in their blue recycling cart and the City's waste hauler will remove the recyclables.

Universal Waste (Batteries, Fluorescent Light Bulbs / Tubes, Electronic Devices & More)

The following universal wastes may NOT be placed out for curbside collection or disposed of in a bin / container meant for solid waste and MUST be disposed at a Recycling & Transfer Center:

  • Common Batteries – AA, AAA, D cells, C cells and button batteries (e.g. hearing aid batteries)
  • Fluorescent tubes and bulbs including mercury containing lamps
  • Electronic Devices – computer and television monitors, laptop computer, miscellaneous computer components, printers / scanners, fax machines, VCR's, radios, cell phones, telephones, radios and microwave ovens
  • Pilot Light Sensors – Mercury containing switches are found in some gas appliances such as stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces and space heaters
  • Items containing Mercury – Gauges, thermometers, thermostats and switches Non-Empty aerosol cans that contain hazardous materials – cans that are labeled with TOXIC or FLAMMABLE that are not completely empty

Additionally, residents can still dispose of other household hazardous waste products at the Orange County Collection Center located at 1071 N. Blue Gum Street , Anaheim, near the junction of the 91 and 57 freeways. For more information regarding the County's program visit www.oclandfills.com or call (714) 834-6752.

MedicalSharpSharps (Syringe/Needle) Disposal
State law prohibits the disposal of medical sharp waste (syringes, needles, and lancets) in the normal trash system. A curbside collection of sharp generated waste is now available. Residents can dispose of up to two gallons of sharps waste sealed in any hardy plastic container. The program is provided free to residents through an on-call, curbside program wherein residents schedule a pickup by calling Park Disposal directly at (714) 522-3577. Residents do not need to be home during the collection.

Furthermore, residents can dispose of medical sharp waste at one of the regional Orange County Collection Centers located at 1071 N. Blue Gum Street, Anaheim. Place the sharp waste materials in a sturdy plastic container, preferably a designated bio-hazard medical waste container and bring the items to the collection center. For more information regarding the County's disposal program visit www.oclandfills.com or call (714) 834-6752.

PharmWasteaimagesPharmaceutical Waste 
The City now has a pharmaceutical collection/disposal box located inside La Palma City Hall. The pharmaceutical collection box can accept all non-controlled pharmaceutical medicines, including expired or unneeded over-the-counter medications. The box is provided as a free service to La Palma residents so they can conveniently and properly dispose of these items. 

For more information about La Palma’s pharmaceutical disposal box, please call (714) 690-3337.

Household Hazardous Waste (Paints, Oils, Cleaning Products, Carpet, etc.)4314216391fd1e3fa745c07ad197e5d3

Residents can dispose of most household hazardous waste products at one of the regional household hazardous waste disposal sites sponsored by the County of Orange. The closest site is located at 1071 N. Blue Gum Street , Anaheim, near the junction of the 91 and 57 freeways.

Additional Hazardous Waste Collection Sites are located in the Cities of Huntington Beach (17121 Nichols Street-Gate 6), Irvine (6411 Oak Canyon), and San Juan Capistrano (32250 La Pata Avenue). 

For more information regarding the County's household hazardous waste disposal program, visit www.oclandfills.com or call (714) 834-4000.

CareCarpetCalifornia Carpet Stewardship Program

Effective in 2010, AB 2398 purpose is to increase the diversion and recycling of carpet in the State of California. CARE administers the California Carpet Stewardship Program, which is charged with meeting the requirements for carpet recycling set by the California law AB 2398 (modified in 2017 by AB 1158) and managed by CalRecycle.

The Carpet Stewardship law generates funding to meet the goals of AB 2398 through an assessment on carpet sold in California. The law is designed to find ways to incentivize the growth of carpet reclamation and recycling and still allow the market to work. Currently, funds from the carpet assessment are used to:

  • Support and incentivize the development and markets for products made from recycled carpet.
  • Underwrite the collection and transport of carpet to/from drop-off sites.
  • Inform and educate stakeholders about the importance, opportunities and challenges of keeping carpet out of landfill.

If taken to the right place, carpet can be recycled in a variety of useful new products. The CARE California Drop-off Site map will help you find a place to take your old carpet to be recycled. For more information and to find the nearest CARE drop-off location visit www.carpetrecovery.org.

OC MATRESS RECYCLING

Mattress Recycling Program

More than 50,000 mattresses are discarded each day throughout the United States. Typically, they end up in the trash taking up valuable landfill space, or worse, illegally disposed of in our communities. But many materials from mattresses including metals, foam, fibers and wood can be recycled and repurposed. In addition, California law provides resources to offer free options for both residential and commercial mattress recycling.

In Orange County, OC Waste & Recycling and the Mattress Recycling Council have partnered to offer several convenient options to ensure recycling of recoverable mattress materials through the Bye Bye Mattress Program. These include:

  • Free Residential Mattress Recycling at OC Landfills - OC residents may take unwanted mattresses and box springs to the Olinda Alpha or Prima Deshecha landfills.
  • Residential Bulky Item Pick Up - OC residents may contact their local waste hauler to ask about a free bulky item pick up of mattresses.
  • Commercial Mattress Recycling at OC Landfills - Commercial customers  (businesses) may take recyclable mattresses and box springs ONLY (no mixed waste or trash) to the Frank R. Bowerman, the Olinda Alpha or Prima Deshecha landfills.
  • Retailer Take Back - California retailers are required by law to pick up old mattresses at no cost when they deliver a new one (exceptions apply). Ask at the time of purchase for details.

For more information visit oclandfills.com/mattress or contact OC Waste & Recycling during regular business hours at 714-834-4000.

ACCEPTED items:

  • Standard mattresses
  • Standard box springs 
  • Futon mattresses (no bases or other furniture parts)

NON-ACCEPTED items:

  • Items that are wet, heavily soiled or infested with bedbugs
  • Air mattresses that contain no upholstery material (such as camping beds)
  • Car beds
  • Cushions (such as from chairs, couches or patio furniture)
  • Juvenile products including, carriages, baskets, dressing tables, strollers, playpens, infant carriers, lounge pad, crib bumpers
  • Mattress pads and/or toppers
  • Pillows
  • Sleeping bags
  • Sofa beds
  • Collapsible roll-away beds
  • Water beds that contain no upholstery material

UsedOil.jpgUsed Oil Recycling

Do you change your car's motor oil? Did you know that State-certified used oil collection centers will take your used motor oil and will even pay you 40¢ a gallon? When you take your used oil to a certified center for recycling, you are protecting the environment, conserving a valuable resource, and getting paid for it. That's a winning combination! There is one catch. Certified collection center managers will not accept used motor oil that has been contaminated with other fluids such as antifreeze, solvents, gasoline, or water. So please, don't mix your used oil with anything.

If you change your own motor oil, you’re likely changing your oil filter at the same time. Take the last step and recycle the oil filter along with the used oil. Many used oil collection centers are now accepting oil filters from the public. Call ahead to find out if filters are accepted.

To find the closest used oil collection center, please visit the CalRecycle used oil recycling website or call 1-800-CLEANUP.