Take-it-Back
San Mateo County
Environmental Health
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 100
San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone: 650.372-6245 or 650.372-6291
E-mail: spratt @co.sanmateo.ca.us
OR jcolvine@co.sanmateo.ca.us
Web: www.flowstobay.org
Program Basics
The retailer allows its customers to bring used up household batteries and/or fluorescent lights (tubes to 4 ft., compacts, other).
These items are placed in an easy to transport container. o The county will provide a 5 gallon bucket for holding household batteries and a10 gallon heavy-duty cardboard box for holding fluorescent lights.
Once your storage bins have nearly reached its capacity, the retailer makes an appointment with Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Center to drop off the collected waste.
Expectations/Requirements
ONLY accept waste from the public. Do not accept waste from a business and do not combine the universal waste generated from your facility with the take-back waste from the public. If you suspect someone dropping off universal waste from their business, refer them to the County HHW program.
Place shelf talkers in the point of sale location to notify the consumer that your store takes back various recyclable items (i.e. batteries and fluorescents).
Place “Take-Back Collection Center” window decals on front of store to advertise this public service.
Once your bins are full…
What? Deliver the take back materials to the county HHW program to dispose the items free of charge.
How? Call 650.655.6217 to make an appointment with the county HHW program. Fill out drop-off request form to detail volume of materials you will deliver and fax form (see attached). Send a trained staff member to bring the universal waste to the HHW facility in San Mateo.
W hen?
Where?
1 st and 3 rd Wednesday of each month, 10am – 2pm
Environmental Health Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Facility
20 Tower Rd, San Mateo CA 94403

Take-it-Back
San Mateo County
Environmental Health
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 100
San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone: 650.372-6245 or 650.372-6291
E-mail: spratt @co.sanmateo.ca.us
OR jcolvine@co.sanmateo.ca.us
Web: www.flowstobay.org
Retail Take-Back Partner
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
How do I get started?
Notify the Take-Back Coordinator that you are interested in becoming a takeback partner.
The coordinator will supply you with collection bins and guidelines.
Place battery collection bucket in a visible place.
Keep the fluorescent box “behind scenes” so your staff can handle the bulbs when received from the customer.
Make a few copies of the Drop-Off Request form for later use.
Put up window and shelf signs to advertise program in your store.
Q.
Why should I become a take-back partner?
You will be providing a service that many customers seek and demand, and will appreciate your providing them.
You will receive positive publicity for your business and enhance your business image.
Take back activity adds points to your application for certification as a Green
Business. Contact your coordinator to find out more information.
Q.
Is there a charge to dispose the materials?
No. Because you are delivering these materials to the county on behalf of your customers’ households, and not for a business that generated them, there is no charge.
Q.
How will my customers be aware of this service?
The County will provide window decals & point-of-sale shelf talkers.
The County of San Mateo and PG&E will generate press for this program.
Various on-line databases list drop-off locations for county residents. o www.recycleworks.org
o www.flowstobay.org
o www.earth911.org
Q. How do I transport the bulbs and/or batteries to the HHW site?
The bins provided will have a Universal Waste label on the back that entitles you to carry batteries and mercury containing equipment.
You do not need an EPA ID number since you will be hauling materials only for households.
You can only store them for up to a year by law. Always label the
“Accumulation Start Date” on the Universal Waste label
Please limit the fluorescent light load to 220 lbs.

Take-it-Back
San Mateo County
Environmental Health
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 100
San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone: 650.372-6245 or 650.372-6291
E-mail: spratt @co.sanmateo.ca.us
OR jcolvine@co.sanmateo.ca.us
Web: www.flowstobay.org
Retail Take-Back Partner
Frequently Asked Questions (cont.)
Q. What if a customer brings a different type of household hazardous waste that I do not collect?
Refer them to the county HHW program.
Business cards and brochures will be provided to your store in order to lead the public in the right direction for proper disposal and recycling.
Q. What if a fluorescent bulb breaks in my store?
See attached handout.
NOTE: Be sure to train your staff as fluorescent lights do contain a few milligrams of mercury. That is why they need to be recycled!
Q. Can I include bulbs and batteries that are generated from my store or other businesses?
No. This program is only a service to the public. You may not mix your materials with the ones dropped off from the public.
As a business, you have to use the Very-Small Quantity Generator (VSQG)
Program to drop off your business waste, at standard fee rates.
If you bring other waste (like paint, chemicals, cleaners, etc.), you will need an
EPA ID number, as required by the VSQG program.
Visit www.smhealth.org/vsqg for more information.
Q.
I already participate in the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) take back program for rechargeable batteries (as required by law). How do these two programs fit together?
Rechargeable batteries are still a small part of the household battery market.
RBRC does not accept single-use batteries from its program participants.
Customers searching battery drop offs already find you as an RBRC partner – and they’ll be pleased to be able to meet all their take-back needs in one location.

Take-it-Back
Environmental Health
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 100
San Mateo, CA 94403
San Mateo County
WHAT IF IT BREAKS?
Phone: 650.372-6245 or 650.372-6291
E-mail: spratt @co.sanmateo.ca.us
OR jcolvine@co.sanmateo.ca.us
Web: www.flowstobay.org
How to handle a broken fluorescent light
Fluorescent lights save electricity; so they are a good choice for energy conservation.
However, they do contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing, which can not go into the trash.
1.
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
2.
Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.
 Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands).
 Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.
 Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3.
Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.
 Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and take it to the County
HHW.
Wash your hands after handling the bags.
4.
If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:
 First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
 If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags. Contact the County HHW program for proper disposal.