SAN DIEGO -- Starting Thursday, Californians are going to have to start playing closer attention to what they toss into the garbage as a new state law goes into effect regarding "e-waste."

Most Californians don't know what do with their old electronics, including cell phones and alkaline batteries.

"I don't know what to do with them besides put them out with the regular trash," said Robert Evan, an electronics consumer.

But starting Feb. 9, the garbage can is no longer an option.

"We have over 500,000 tons of toxic electronics that are being illegally disposed of in landfills in California every year," said Mark Murphy, from Californians Against Waste.

Electronic waste contains toxic substances, including lead and other heavy metals the state says could leak into groundwater.

"Lead is a neuro-toxin at low levels. When you get it into your system, particularly for kids, it can cause developmental problems, both for your physical and mental abilities," said Karl Palmer, from CA Toxic Substances Control.

Consumers already pay an extra few dollars in recycling fees when they buy a television or computer monitor.

This year, environmentalists will push state lawmakers to add a California Refund Value of 5 to 10 cents to alkaline batteries, much like what's charged with bottles and cans. Californians use 500 million of these a year and safely dispose of less than 1 percent of them.

Counties already have hazardous collection sites that'll soon have to take in the electronic waste. Starting in July, retailers will have to take back cell phones and their rechargeable batteries.

But some want to make e-recycling less troublesome.

"We've got to come up with some easy, logical places for people to take their e-waste routinely, not wait for a monthly or quarterly collection events," said Michelle Marlowe, a recycler.

Click here to learn more about e-waste.