The Morro Bay Household Hazardous Waste Facility will permanently close at its current location on July 25 as the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) works to relocate the service to a new North Coast site.
The facility, located at Morro Bay’s former wastewater treatment plant, must move because the property is slated for demolition. Residential drop-off services will continue through July 25 before operations cease at the site.
Since announcing the closure in June, the company has completed what IWMA Management Analyst Sasha Del Giorgio described as “an extensive review of more than a dozen potential sites in Cayucos, Morro Bay, and Los Osos.”
“This thorough process has led to the identification of a promising new location that appears well-suited to support continued safe, convenient HHW [household hazardous waste] services for the community,” Del Giorgio told New Times in an email. “Negotiations are currently underway, and additional details will be shared once agreements are finalized and approved.”
Although a new location has been identified, residents will need to rely on other household hazardous waste facilities while the replacement site is developed. County residents can continue disposing of household hazardous waste free of charge at facilities in San Luis Obispo, Templeton, Paso Robles, and Nipomo, with a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit.
Del Giorgio noted that residents should not throw hazardous materials into curbside trash or recycling bins during the transition.
“Even during the transition period, it is important to remember that HHW should always be kept out of curbside trash and recycling bins,” she said. “Items such as batteries, paint, pesticides, cleaners, sharps, and fluorescent bulbs require special handling to ensure safety and protect recycling systems.”
The agency is also encouraging residents to use retailer take-back programs for products such as household batteries, fluorescent bulbs, sharps, latex paint, and motor oil.
“Residents are strongly encouraged to take any of the items listed in our press release back to any local stores that sell those items, since that is a convenient and free option for residents to use,” Del Giorgio said, adding that the IWMA is also working with retailers to expand collection opportunities.
For residents who cannot immediately dispose of hazardous waste, Del Giorgio said many materials can be safely stored at home.
While permitting, environmental review, and site improvements will still be required before the new facility can open, Del Giorgio said the agency has already assembled “a highly qualified team” that can begin work once the site is acquired.
She said that preparation “will help ensure a smooth and timely transition to the new facility.”
In the meantime, the IWMA is also planning one-time hazardous waste collection events for the North Coast and surrounding communities while work on the permanent site continues.
