Nail Polish Alternative ways to recycle Illegal in Garbage & Drains Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off is available twice a month by appointment only on Saturdays for household hazardous waste and/or universal waste. Acceptable items include over-the-counter and prescription medications, fluorescent light tubes, motor oil and used motor oil, antifreeze, paint, chemicals (pool and others), household cleaners, and pesticides. The majority of medications are accepted as household hazardous waste excluding controlled substances. Some items can be dropped off at the HHW Facility without an appointment and during hours of operation. These items include: sharps waste (syringes or lancets) properly packaged for safe disposal, (used) motor oil, filters and antifreeze. Proof of residency is required. To make an appointment to drop off your household hazardous waste on the next available Saturday at the Waste Management HHW Facility at 2880 Industry Street, please call Waste Management’s Customer Service line at (760) 439-2824. HHW must be dropped off by appointment – click for more info. No Nail Polish in the Garbage The EPA considers nail polish hazardous waste, and it needs to be disposed of as such. Don’t throw it into the regular garbage or a recycling bin, and don’t dump it down the drain. Alternative Ways to Recycle Côte Recycling Program Mail in used bottles of nail polish to Côte’s Recycling Program and receive 10 percent off a future purchase. Ways to Reuse Empty? Fill With Touch-Up Paint Put household paint into an empty nail polish bottle and use it for small touch-ups around the house. You can clean out traces of old polish first using non-toxic paint thinner. Did You Know? The Origins of Nail Polish Nail polish was invented in China as early as 3000 BC. The colors you wore depended on which class you belonged to. Lower classes painted their nails nude and other pale colors, while the upper classes painted theirs red.
