For Residents

Hazardous wastes cannot be fully removed by the treatment process. They end up in the Bay when treated wastewater is released into it. This can harm both the environment and humans.

Avoid flushing products,such as wipes and kitty litter, even if they are labeled “Flushable”. Wipes are usually made from plastic, and they don’t disintegrate like toilet paper so they clog pipes. The other items listed below can also clog drains and cause backups in your home. This is costly to maintain and repair. They can cause raw sewage overflows onto streets and into storm drains and creeks. Both are environmental and public health problems.

 These items should never be flushed:

• Hazardous wastes such as medications, paints, chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers
• Hair
• Dental floss
• Band aids
• Kitty Litter
• Menstrual products
• Cigarette butts
• Paper towels
• Condoms
• Disposable diapers
• All types of wipes including cosmetic, cleaning, “disposable” and “natural” types  

• Small amounts of oil and grease can be wiped up with a paper towel and placed in your green compost bin. Bring large amounts of unwanted cooking oil (salad dressing, fryer oil) to your local Household Hazardous Waste collection program.
• Bacon or other grease can be poured in a disposable container. Once solidified, it can be put directly in the trash. It can also be used for cooking later.
• Put basket strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids and empty them into your green compost cart.

Palo Alto Residents: Palo Alto HHW Station I (650) 496-5910

Santa Clara County Residents: Santa Clara County HHW Program  I (408) 299-7300

San Mateo County Residents: San Mateo County HHW Program I (650) 655-6202

Mountain View and Sunnyvale Residents: SMaRT Station I (408)-752-8530 

MedProject hosts medication and sharps disposal kiosks at convenient locations, including many local pharmacies. They also have a mail-back program. 

The problem with plastic is that it never goes away, it just breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces. Levels of microplastics in Bay surface waters are some of the highest recorded globally.

• Avoid single-use plastic products like disposable utensils, coffee cups and other foodware.
• Avoid using personal care products containing plastic microbeads. Many microbead-containing products were federally banned by the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, like toothpastes, soaps, exfoliating scrubs, and other rinse-off cosmetics. However, microbeads are still permitted in some deodorants, lotions, and non-cleansing cosmetics.  
• Don’t flush wipes down the toilet. Even those labeled “flushable” often aren’t – they are made of plastic fibers that don’t disintegrate in wastewater.
• Choose garments with natural fibers. Lint from polyester, nylon, rayon and other synthetic textiles shed from clothing while being washed and go down the drain.
• Take less trips in cars. Tires shed tiny bits of plastic that are washed into creeks and the Bay during storms. Tire wear is one of the top sources of microplastics in the environment.

• Our Water Our World and Watershed Watch have effective resources to deal with pest insects, rodents, spiders, snails and weeds. They include pest control products that are safer for your family. You can also find local hardware stores and nurseries that carry less-toxic products.
• Hire an eco-friendly pest control company with practitioners trained in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM employs simple techniques to control pests effectively, minimizing the need for pesticides. Our Water Our World has resources to assist you.
• Avoid indoor sprays and foggers which can transfer from surfaces onto your hands and be washed down the drain.
• Ask your vet about chewable flea and tick medication. Avoid using topical or “spot-on” treatments, flea collars, or foggers, especially those with the active ingredients of fipronil or imidacloprid. These pesticides transfer from pets, to hands, clothing, bedding and indoor surfaces. Upon washing they flow to the sanitary sewer system. Wastewater treatment processes are not designed to remove these pesticides. They pass through treatment and are discharged into the Bay where they harm the ecosystem. Baywise has safer, alternative solutions to control fleas and ticks. 

• Regularly clean and maintain your pool at proper chemical levels.
• Test water frequently and adjust the pH, total alkalinity, hardness, and total dissolved solids levels as recommended by your pool manufacturer. This is extra important during warm weather or heavy pool use.
• Never clean pool filters in the street, gutter, or storm drain.  Rinse it onto a dirt area, and spade the residue into the soil. Backwash sand and diatomaceous earth filters onto a dirt area. Dispose of spent filter materials in the trash.
• Ask your pool maintenance service to use an alternative to copper algaecides. Copper is a heavy metal and harms the environment. Alternatives include:
  • Polymeric algaecide
  • Sodium bromide
  • Chlorine or chlorine-enhancers
  • Hypochlorite containing shock treatments

• If draining your pool is necessary, discharge the water to a sanitary sewer cleanout (never to the street or a storm drain). The sewer line clean-out is usually located in the front landscaped area or near the sidewalk and marked with an “S”. The clean-out will have a small circular cap.
• For septic systems, contact the Regional Water Quality Control Plant (650) 329-2598.

Besides properly disposing of your wastewater and sewage, be sure to:

• Put trash, recycling, and compost in appropriate bins so it doesn't end up in storm drains. 
• Periodically check under your RV for leaks from the waste tank, engine, propane, refrigeration equipment, etc. Repair them immediately, or use drip pans until you can.

RV Disposal Sites and Tips Fact Sheet(PDF, 249KB)