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Household Hazardous Waste

Household hazardous wastes are the leftover or unused portions of materials used to clean and maintain your home. The following are just a few of the common items considered to be “household hazardous waste”:

For safety and environmental reasons, it is illegal to dispose of HHW in the garbage, sewers, or storm drains. Please take these materials to the West County Drive-Through Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.

Facility Information

Thursdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of every month 9am-4pm, closed 12-12:30pm.

101, Pittsburg Avenue Richmond, CA 94801

M: 1-888-412-9277

West County Drive-Through Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility

There is NO CHARGE for drop-off and NO APPOINTMENT IS NEEDED!

Sewer Services

The City of Pinole and West County Sanitary District take care of maintaining the City’s sewer system. If you suspect a problem in the main sewer line, call the Public Works office at (510) 724-9010. If the problem occurs after 5pm or on weekends or holidays, call (510) 724-8950. The West County Wastewater District maintains the main sewer line in their coverage area. For service covered by West County Wastewater, call (510) 222-6700.

The City of Pinole is regulated by a Regional Water Quality Control Board. As such, we are bound by state regulations that require best management practices in the treatment of the City’s sewage influent. As part of our attempt to prevent toxins and unwanted debris from entering our sewage system, resulting in the pollution of surrounding natural bodies of water, we encourage you to visit the websites listed below and learn about the proper disposal of Household Hazardous Waste.

Proper Use and Disposal of Pesticides

As part of the City of Pinole’s NPDES permit compliance process and for the protection of our environment, we encourage all of our citizens to use pesticides minimally, only when absolutely necessary, and in a safe and approved manner. The following web sites will help in that regard and will introduce you to Integrated Pest Management, a system of non-chemical, alternative pest mitigation methods.

Sponsored by the EPA:

Motor Oil

There are several reasons why you should recycle your used motor oil.

  • The oil from a single oil change (1 gallon) can ruin the taste of a million gallons of drinking water – the supply to 50 people for one year.
  • One pint of oil produces an oil slick of about one acre on the surface of water.
  • Used motor oil contains toxic substances such as benzene, lead, zinc, and cadmium.
  • Motor oil accounts for more than 40% of total oil pollution of the nation’s harbors and waterways.

Recycling your used motor oil and filter is as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. Call (510) 262-7100 and request a free oil change kit.
  2. Call (510) 262-7100 to schedule a pick-up.
  3. Set out the full oil jug and filter bag in view of or near the curb on your scheduled oil collection day.

This service is provided by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and posted on this website: Richmond Motor Oil Recycling

Thanks to the help of the NPDES program, Public Works is able to follow-up when you see the illegal dumping of motor oil. If you see illegal dumping taking place, call the Police Department at (510) 724-9050, and if you find motor oil or other hazardous waste in the street, call the Public Works Department at (510) 724-9010.

Storm Drains and the Bay Area (this is a title)

In Contra Costa County storm drains flow directly to local creeks, San Francisco Bay and the delta with no treatment. Storm water pollution is a serious problem for wildlife dependent on our waterways and for the people who live near polluted streams and baylands. Home remodeling, repair, and construction activities often involve materials and wastes that are toxic to the environment when they reach a storm drain or creek. Paint products, concrete, mortar and landscaping runoff containing weed killers to pesticides are common sources of concern. Proper handling and use of these materials is essential to protect the health of the Bay.

Christmas Trees

Please see the following links and guidelines from Republic Services:

Any non-organic items on a real Christmas Tree such as tinsel and other decorations, need to be removed prior to recycling the tree.

  • Artificial Christmas Trees
  • Wreaths
  • Christmas Tree lights: If they are LEDs, please take them to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility on 101 Pittsburg Ave in Richmond, CA. They are accepted as E-waste at the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center, but not at the Richmond facility. They can go in the trash if unable to bring to El Cerrito.

Recycling Information

As part of our attempt to prevent toxins and unwanted debris from entering our storm system resulting in the pollution of surrounding natural bodies of water, we encourage you to visit the following EPA sponsored websites and learn about the proper disposal of Household Hazardous Waste.

Mercury

Mercury has the potential to reach San Francisco Bay when the mercury containing thermometers break in household sinks. Mercury flows into the sewer system and to the wastewater treatment plant. The treatment plant cannot effectively remove toxic metals like mercury, and the metal can bypass treatment and end up in the Bay. Mercury enters into and contaminates fish tissue. When humans eat contaminated fish, the mercury can hinder brain development especially in fetuses and young children.

The local Household Hazardous Waste facility located at 101 Pittsburg Avenue in Richmond has a mercury thermometer exchange program. Simply bring your mercury thermometer to the Household Hazardous Waste facility and exchange it for a free digital thermometer.

Save yourself another trip to the collection facility by dropping off any other household, garden or automotive chemicals you no longer need to ensure that these toxins don’t reach our water environment. Fluorescent bulbs also contain mercury and should be recycled. Below is additional information on fluorescent lamps and where you can dispose of them.

For more information about EPA’s fact sheet on fishing warnings visit here.

Fluorescent Lamps

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Disposal Information

Words such as danger, warning, caution, poisonous, corrosive, toxic, and flammable on the labels of common household products tell you these products may be harmful, even deadly, to you, your children, your pets, to the environment. When these products are no longer wanted and are destined for disposal they become “household hazardous waste.”

Check your house, garage, storage cabinets and shed for these products – items such as batteries, cleaners and solvents, paints, used oil, car products, and pesticides. Practice safe storage and proper disposal for all of these items. You may wish to mark or label these products as a reminder to use them up and dispose of them safely. Please do not place any of these items or materials in garbage cans or down household or storm drains.

HHW