By Robert Haugh

Santa Clara residents who want to get rid of old medication, paint, batteries, sharps, e-waste and other hazardous waste this Saturday will need to plan ahead.

A one-day household hazardous waste drop-off event is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, from 8 am to 12 pm in Santa Clara. 

But residents will not see the location unless they first sign up for an appointment. The County says the address will be emailed only after an appointment is made. 

The appointment page lists Santa Clara time slots beginning at 8:15 a.m. and running through 11:45 a.m. for the April 25 event.

According to Santa Clara County’s Household Hazardous Waste program, residents can bring expired or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications for both people and pets. 

The County also accepts items such as paint, gasoline, polishes, batteries, drain cleaners, pesticides, ammonia, solvents, pool chemicals, e-waste, propane, helium, small oxygen tanks, smoke detectors, fluorescent lamps, and sharps. 

County officials say the event is intended to help residents safely remove dangerous materials from their homes and reduce risks to children, seniors, and pets. 

Residents dropping off medications are told to remove personal information from packaging and place drugs in a separate container before arriving.