Hazardous Waste Warning

Wastes in this section are dangerous to you and the environment. Handle them carefully and dispose of them properly. Legally, households may not transport more than 15 gallons of wet or 125 pounds of dry hazardous materials. Read about the regulation.

Treated Wood

Treated wood, commonly used in fence posts, decking, and landscaping projects, contains chemicals to protect the wood from insects and fungal decay. Among these chemicals are arsenic, chromium, copper, and creosote. While they do a great job preserving the wood, the chemicals are anything but great if they end up in our environment. The facilities listed below will properly manage your treated wood waste (TWW).

Beginning January 1, 2021, regulatory changes have limited the types of facilities that are able to accept treated wood waste.  The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a variance application on Friday, February 19 to allow TWW to be disposed of, managed, and transported as it was prior to the regulatory changes on January 1.

These variances can be obtained on the DTSC’s website. Everyone who transports, generates, or disposes of TWW will need to apply for a variance to dispose of TWW. More information on the variance application can be found in this presentation provided by the DTSC.

The Tajiguas Landfill has received a variance to accept TWW. However, only certain contracted orgnizations, businesses and individuals can currently take TWW here. If you have questions about who can drop off TWW at the Tiguas Landfill, please call (805) 882-3603, or email khaberlin@cosbpw.net. We are currently waiting to receive a variance for County operated Recycling and Transfer Stations. Updates will be posted on this page as soon as we receive the variance.

We will update our locations list as we find more locations accepting this waste. Additionally, the DTSC released this information sheet to help answer any questions regarding TWW.

Where to go