Ojai Valley Green Coalition

Needle (sharps) Disposal:
Used sharps should never be placed loosely in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Doing so, increases the risk of accidental exposure for sanitation and sewage treatment workers, janitors, and your family.
Both the Ojai Valley Hospital and Oak View Family Practice have needle take-back programs. An appointment is needed at the hospital. Needle disposal is under the jurisdiction of the Ventura County Environmental Health Division . For more information contact Brandy Starjack at 805-654-5007.
Old prescriptions are hazardous waste:
It is no longer recommended that households flush even small quantities of household medicines down the drain. Some medicines can disrupt or destroy the useful microorganisms in the sewage treatment system and/or may pass through the system intact and potentially contaminate downstream water resources.
Old medications are considered hazardous wastes and must be disposed of accordingly. The Ventura County Pollution Prevention Center accepts old medications which do not contain Controlled Substances on an appointment basis. Controlled substances must be disposed of in the trash, but it is strongly recommended that these medications be made unusable prior to disposal*.

Topa Topa Elementary School students recently presented the results of their waste stream study. Click here to read the article on the Ojai Valley News Blog:

The "InfoMark" is a bookmark-sized list of battery recycling locations in the Ojai Valley. It can be used as a reminder to recycle when placed on a kitchen cupboard or refrigerator, or when used as a bookmark. Made of recycled paper, it is available at all listed recycling locations.

To view or print, click on the InfoMark link (PDF).

Check in for regular updates from all of our Action and Organizational committees.

Recycling is one of the easiest ways to begin making a difference in our ecological future. The Ojai Valley Green Coalition has included recycling as one of its most important goals. One of its members, Marcia Doty, thought of a new approach, launched it, and began a recycling service available to Ojai residents, almost single-handedly.