Manteca residents have two opportunities this month to get rid of unwanted waste.

The first is this Saturday, Oct. 9, when the city hosts its first free hazardous household collection event from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 210 Wetmore St. east of the animal shelter on the corner with South Main Street.

The other is the Shred-It event where information that ID thieves can use to ply their trade is shredded by the city for free. It eliminates the risk of ID theft rings that pop up from time-to-tome going through garbage carts looking for personal information that can help them lift people’s identity.

The Shred-It even is Saturday, Oct. 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. It also takes place at the 210 Wetmore St. location.

Among the items being accepted this Saturday at the household hazardous waste collection are:

*Chemical cleaners, used oil and filters, paint, chemicals, fertilizers, automotive fluids, pesticides, and 1 and 5 gallon propane tanks and similar items.

*Fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, mercury containing devices.

*Electronic waste such as computers, monitors, printers, TVs, radios, VCRs, telephones, stereos, and such.

*Tires and mattresses

No large appliances, explosives or radioactive materials will be accepted.

Those bringing items should not transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds and make sure they don’t mix chemicals. Use only sealed, non-leaking containers. Items should be transported in truck bed or trunk. pack items to avoid spilling.

For more information, go to SJCrecycle.org or call (209) 468-3066.

The event is for households only and not businesses.

Shred-It event is

Saturday, Oct. 16

Manteca’s drive-thru free document shredding event returns on Saturday, Oct. 16, is  for City of Manteca residents only. No businesses can participate. Proof of residency is required. That can be a copy of a municipal utility bill or driver’s license.

Personal documents will be accepted for shredding that are dropped off in cardboard boxes or plastic bags.

The line will be shut off at 12 p.m. sharp. Anyone entering the line after the designated City of Manteca “last car” will be denied entry to the event.

 The event started 18 years ago with the goal of giving citizens a chance to drop off personal documents that can be pilfered from waste carts on solid waste collection days and then used by criminals to commit identity theft.

Documents such as cancelled checks, billing statements, old tax forms, and even magazine labels and other mail that simply has a name and an address were being used to steal identities.

Paperwork stolen from blue carts still plays a significant role in ID theft today as does the stealing of mail despite the shift to paperless documents. Police have noted criminals often pay $25 for a bag of such material making household and business documents that are tossed potential source of money for drug users and unscrupulous homeless people who rifle through carts and dumpsters.

Other recycling opportunities

offered by City of Manteca

The city has other free recycling services available.

*Electronic waste such as TVs, computers, printers, microwaves, phones and such can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Solid Waste Division office on Wetmore Street across from the water tower.

*Medical sharps as well as used batteries such as A, AA, AAA, C, and D are also accepted at the Solid Waste Division office on Wetmore Street Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Used light bulbs can be taken to the Manteca Home Depot store.

As for unwanted or expired medication, if you are unable to take them to the police department’s lobby drop box, there is another safe way of disposing of them.

Take a zip lock plastic bag, empty pills into the bag, pour in either milk or kitty litter, then smash the contents until it turns into a paste.

The zip lock bag of paste can then be tossed into the garbage.

It is illegal to flush prescriptions and over the counter drugs down the toilet or simply throw them into a garbage can.

You can also secure a free bin once a year for curbside pickup. For more details contact the solid waste division at (209) 456-8440 between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They will send you the proper forms to fill out.

The costs for staging the Shred It events as well as once a year bins are covered by solid waste fees paid each month by residents and businesses.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com