Materials M - S

Horse, mule and other livestock manure, including dirt containing manure is accepted at the Rock Creek Landfill in Milton.
Charged at $8.00/Cubic Yard.  

The Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress program recycles more than 1.5 million mattresses each year in California. As a participating collection site, we accept mattresses and box springs for free at Rock Creek, located at 12021 Hunt Road, Milton, during the following hours of operation: 8 AM to 4:30 PM.  

Thanks to this program, these units are diverted from landfills and used to make other useful products such as carpet padding, insulation, filters and mulch. The program also helps our community combat illegal dumping.

To learn more about how the program works in California, visit ByeByeMattress.com.

Expired or unwanted 'over the counter' medications must be discarded as household hazardous waste and can only be taken to Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility.  

We cannot accept any prescribed medicines or Controlled substances. Please contact the Sheriff's Office for disposal of these controlled substances. The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office has a drop box for such prescriptions and controlled substances in their lobby. Please call them directly at (209) 754-6500.

The Angels Camp Police Department has installed a Prescription Drug Drop Box in their lobby. Expired and unused medications can be placed in the drop box. Please keep medications in their original containers. Please contact (209) 736-2567 for hours available.

Mercury is a toxic substance that is found in thermometers, thermostats, mercury switches and blood pressure gauges.  Mercury containing items must be discarded at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility.

The County has seven scrap metal collection bins at our Recycling & Disposal Sites. All metal drums must have the tops removed, be empty and dry before recycling in the metal bins.

Valley Springs Recycling accepts copper, brass, scrap aluminum, steel, tin, radiators and insulated wires. They are located at 148 N. Main, Valley Springs. Please contact them at (209) 772-9340 for details and pricing.

Metal hangers can be recycled in any scrap metal bins at any of Recycling & Disposal sites. They can also be taken to your local dry cleaners or thrift stores. Plastic hangers can be donated or put in your mixed recycling.

Microwaves can be taken to Gambi, Red Hill, Wilseyville or Rock Creek. There is no charge to recycle these.

Monitors and other electronics (e-waste), can be recycled at five County Recycling & Disposal sites.

The County has eight oil recycling centers to dispose of your motor oil.

We can only accept needles, syringes and sharps at the Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility.

Other disposal options include:

Mail back services (search Mail Back Sharps) on the web or check the California Department of Public Health's Mail Back Services list and contact information.

Manufacturers with Sharps Mail Back

Medical take back programs (inquire with your doctor).
We do not accept sharps in glass, metal or in any soft plastics, such as a milk jug. Because the sharps are incinerated, they must be in a rigid plastic container that will melt at the same consistency as a regular sharps container. This process of incineration, when the plastic melts over the sharps, they are no longer considered 'sharps' and can be brought to the landfill.

The containers must be in a rigid plastic container that is puncture resistant, leak-proof, portable, labeled with the word 'sharps' written on it and it must be closable and sealable. Please tape the lid if necessary.

Any containers of metal, glass or other plastic are not appropriate type of containers for the sharps and will not be accepted.

Ovens and Stoves can be taken to Gambi, Red Hill, Wilseyville or Rock Creek. There is a $25.00 charge for each.

Oxygen tanks (medical or scuba) can only be taken to the Rock Creek Landfill IF the valves have been properly removed by a certified handler.

To properly dispose: Contact the retailer or manufacturer, if listed on the oxygen tank. Medical cylinders and scuba tanks are generally accepted by the manufacturer or retailer.

Latex paints can be taken to Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility, Wilseyville or Red Hill Recycling & Disposal facilities.
 
Oil based paints can only be taken to the Rock Creek Solid Waste facility.

Pallets can be disposed of at any of the Wood & Yard Waste facilities at $4.00 cubic yard.

Paper, newspaper, paperboard, phone books, magazines, junk mail and any other paper products can be recycled in any of the facilities mixed recycling bins.

Photography chemicals are considered hazardous and can only be disposed of at the HHW collection facility at Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility.

Plastic bags may be recycled at any local grocery store and should not be placed in with your mixed recyclables. Consider donating them to your local thrift store.
 

Plastic containers marked with a 1 through 7 are recyclable and go in with your mixed recycling and can be taken to any of the County's Recycling & Disposal sites. This includes plastic bottles, jugs and containers such as margarine tubs, cottage cheese containers, and yogurt cups. All of these plastics go into the mixed recycling.

Power tools, like drills, saws and sanders should be cleaned and donated if still usable.  Habitat for Humanity accepts small power tools, please check out our reuse page or call them directly at (209) 754-5331 for more information. Otherwise they are considered scrap metal and can be recycled at Avery, Gambi, RedHill, Wilseyville, Copperopolis or Rock Creek. 

Many organizations and businesses accept printer cartridges for recycling. You can also check with 'Recycling for Charity', which allows you to collect and submit them to raise funds for a local school or church. Another option is to see if your local school already has a recycling program and donate your used cartridges to them.

Propane tanks, up to 25 gallons, are accepted only at the Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility. You will need to contact your local professional propane service, to dispose of larger tanks.   

Freon tanks must be evacuated in accordance with EPA Clean Air Act BEFORE they can be recycled. Please contact a bottled gas company for all other cylinders or tanks. Never alter, drill or cut a propane tank.

Refrigerators can be taken to Gambi, Red Hill, Wilseyville or Rock Creek Landfill. There is a $25.00 charge for each.  

Refrigerators with ammonia refrigerant ARE NOT accepted at the Rock Creek Landfill or any of the County Transfer Stations.

Mixed C&D is charged at $8.00 cubic yard.

Habitat for Humanity accepts some donations of construction materials. Before you discard it, please call them at (209) 754-5331 to determine whether your materials can be used by their organization.  www.habitatcalaveras.org

Home and Ranch Generated Sharps can no longer be disposed of with household trash.  For more information, click here.   

We can only accept home generated syringes, sharps and needles at the Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility.

We do not accept sharps in glass, metal or in any soft plastics, such as a milk jug. Because the sharps are incinerated, they must be in a rigid plastic container that will melt at the same consistency as a regular sharps container. This process of incineration, when the plastic melts over the sharps, they are no longer considered 'sharps' and can be brought to the landfill.

The containers must be in a rigid plastic container that is puncture resistant, leak-proof, portable, labeled with the word 'sharps' written on it and it must be closable and sealable. Please tape the lid if necessary.

Any containers of metal, glass or other plastic are not appropriate type of containers for the sharps and will not be accepted.

Other disposal options include:

Mail back services (search Mail Back Sharps) on the web or check the California Department of Public Health's Mail Back Services list and contact information.   

Manufacturers who offer mail back services.

Medical take back programs (inquire with your doctor).

Porcelain sinks, toilets and tiles can be brought to the Rock Creek Facility to be recycled in the rubble pile.

Small kitchen appliances can go in your mixed recycling. This could be toasters, blenders, food processors, toaster ovens, crock pots, coffee makers, and juicers.  If they are still working, please check out our reuse page and consider donating them.

Smoke detectors, if discarded one at a time, can be put with your household trash. Be sure to remove the battery before recycling. Smoke detectors contain small amounts of radioactive material. If you can, please return them to their manufacturer.

Sod is considered trash and is accepted at Rock Creek for no charge. Only very small amounts from small projects are accepted at the Transfer Stations.

Stoves and Ovens can be taken to Gambi, Red Hill, Wilseyville or Rock Creek. There is a $25.00 charge for each.

Stumps, up to 24 inches, can be taken to the Rock Creek Solid Waste Facility and are charged at $8.00 per cubic yard. Stumps over 24 inches are not accepted.

Currently, we do not have an avenue to recycle expanded polystyrene or "Styrofoam". Please check back as we are looking for a cost effective remedy to recycling this product. The local Styrofoam Manufacturer, Dart Containers in Lodi, will accept both the block Styrofoam and the Styrofoam food service cups, plates, trays.  Please keep them separate as they go into different containers on site. They accept public drop off at 1400 Victor Road in Lodi. You can contact them directly at (209) 333-8088 or at www.dartcontainer.com
 
Styrofoam packing peanuts, air bubbles and bubble wrap are not recyclable, but they are reusable and those materials can be dropped off at:

Mail Depot, Etc.
1906 Vista Del Lago, Suite L
Valley Springs CA 95252  (209) 772-2636
M-F 9 am - 6 pm and Sat 10 am - 2 pm