Households
Automobile
Take used motor oil, antifreeze, filters and other automobile fluids in a sealed container to the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 101 Pittsburg Avenue. In the event of a spill, sprinkle the area with kitty litter or sawdust to absorb all liquids, sweep into a plastic garbage bag, and take to the Household Hazardous Waste facility. If you see someone dumping automotive fluids down a drain or area that could wash into a storm drain please call 1-800-NO-DUMPING.
EBMUD Water Leaks
EBMUD uses chloramines, a mix of chlorine and ammonia, to disinfect its drinking water. Chloramines are necessary for delivering water that is safe for humans, but they are not good for fish. EBMUD uses fabric mats with treatment tablets to remove chloramines from water released from pipe breaks and broken hydrants before it reaches storm drains, nearby streams or the Bay.
More EBMUD information on water leaks is available at their website.
Green Business
Your patronage of businesses that use best management practices for pollution prevention helps sustain businesses that are improving our environment. We encourage you to use these businesses or find out more about the program here in Contra Costa County.
Household Hazardous Waste
Richmond’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection facility at 101 Pittsburgh Ave provides Richmond residents with an environmentally safe, no-cost, convenient way to dispose of unwanted hazardous household products such as paints, solvents, fuels, cleaners, pesticides, etc., which contain hazardous substances. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located at 101 Pittsburg Ave. Richmond, one block east of the Richmond Parkway. The Collection site is open Thursday and Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm and the first Saturday of the month 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Visit the Household Hazardous Waste web site for more information and a schedule
Mercury
Mercury is an extremely toxic material and when disposed, is classified as an acutely hazardous waste. Treat it with the caution it deserves. Your family's health and the health of the environment depend on your actions.
Pesticides
Many gardeners use pesticides at 20 times the rate of commercial farmers. Overuse of these products is not healthy for your garden or our environment. Please use products sparingly, following the instructions on the label, and avoid applying these products on rainy or windy days. Better yet, use less toxic alternatives. This will help prevent run-off into storm drains and our waterways. If an accidental spill happens, cover the area with kitty litter or sawdust to absorb all liquids, sweep into a plastic garbage bag, and take to the household hazardous waste facility.
Photography
Spent fixer and stabilizer solutions often contain high concentrations of silver, a toxic metal that has been found in shellfish and waterfowl in San Francisco Bay. Selenium toner contains selenium, a toxic pollutant that has been found in local diving ducks at levels of concern. Neither silver nor selenium can be completely removed from wastewater by existing sewage treatment plant technology.
Artists and hobbyists that develop film in their homes need to protect the Bay from toxic silver and selenium in photo processing solutions. Collect your spent fixer, selenium toner, and other photo chemicals and take them to Richmond’s Household Hazardous Waste collection facility.
Pools, Spas and Fountains
Please drain a pool, spa or fountain to the sanitary drain. When drained to a street or storm drain, water from pools, spas, and fountains pose a particular threat to aquatic organisms because of the copper and chlorine people have added to the water. Water flowing from a street into a storm drain goes straight into local creeks without any treatment. Copper and chlorine can be toxic for aquatic life in creeks and contribute to pollution of San Francisco Bay. To prevent water pollution from a pool, spa, or fountain:
Take used motor oil, antifreeze, filters and other automobile fluids in a sealed container to the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 101 Pittsburg Avenue. In the event of a spill, sprinkle the area with kitty litter or sawdust to absorb all liquids, sweep into a plastic garbage bag, and take to the Household Hazardous Waste facility. If you see someone dumping automotive fluids down a drain or area that could wash into a storm drain please call 1-800-NO-DUMPING.
EBMUD Water Leaks
EBMUD uses chloramines, a mix of chlorine and ammonia, to disinfect its drinking water. Chloramines are necessary for delivering water that is safe for humans, but they are not good for fish. EBMUD uses fabric mats with treatment tablets to remove chloramines from water released from pipe breaks and broken hydrants before it reaches storm drains, nearby streams or the Bay.
More EBMUD information on water leaks is available at their website.
Green Business
Your patronage of businesses that use best management practices for pollution prevention helps sustain businesses that are improving our environment. We encourage you to use these businesses or find out more about the program here in Contra Costa County.
Household Hazardous Waste
Richmond’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection facility at 101 Pittsburgh Ave provides Richmond residents with an environmentally safe, no-cost, convenient way to dispose of unwanted hazardous household products such as paints, solvents, fuels, cleaners, pesticides, etc., which contain hazardous substances. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located at 101 Pittsburg Ave. Richmond, one block east of the Richmond Parkway. The Collection site is open Thursday and Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm and the first Saturday of the month 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Visit the Household Hazardous Waste web site for more information and a schedule
Mercury
Mercury is an extremely toxic material and when disposed, is classified as an acutely hazardous waste. Treat it with the caution it deserves. Your family's health and the health of the environment depend on your actions.
Pesticides
Many gardeners use pesticides at 20 times the rate of commercial farmers. Overuse of these products is not healthy for your garden or our environment. Please use products sparingly, following the instructions on the label, and avoid applying these products on rainy or windy days. Better yet, use less toxic alternatives. This will help prevent run-off into storm drains and our waterways. If an accidental spill happens, cover the area with kitty litter or sawdust to absorb all liquids, sweep into a plastic garbage bag, and take to the household hazardous waste facility.
Photography
Spent fixer and stabilizer solutions often contain high concentrations of silver, a toxic metal that has been found in shellfish and waterfowl in San Francisco Bay. Selenium toner contains selenium, a toxic pollutant that has been found in local diving ducks at levels of concern. Neither silver nor selenium can be completely removed from wastewater by existing sewage treatment plant technology.
Artists and hobbyists that develop film in their homes need to protect the Bay from toxic silver and selenium in photo processing solutions. Collect your spent fixer, selenium toner, and other photo chemicals and take them to Richmond’s Household Hazardous Waste collection facility.
Pools, Spas and Fountains
Please drain a pool, spa or fountain to the sanitary drain. When drained to a street or storm drain, water from pools, spas, and fountains pose a particular threat to aquatic organisms because of the copper and chlorine people have added to the water. Water flowing from a street into a storm drain goes straight into local creeks without any treatment. Copper and chlorine can be toxic for aquatic life in creeks and contribute to pollution of San Francisco Bay. To prevent water pollution from a pool, spa, or fountain:
- Don’t use copper-containing pool products.
- Clean your filter over a dirt area, not into the street. Filter backwash should go to the sanitary sewer cleanout, not to streets or storm drains. When emptying a pool, flow should be kept to about 10 gallons per minute (or about the flow through a normal garden hose); a larger flow could cause the sewer line to back up.
If you need help finding your cleanout call 412-2001.
Pottery
Artists and hobbyists that work with clay at home can contribute to Bay pollution by discharging toxic metals from glaze pigments and clay impurities into the sewer. Please follow disposal instructions on the containers as to whether they can go to your trash or a household hazardous waste facility. Do not dispose of the materials to sinks, drains, toilets or gutters.