by Che Soto-Vigil
RYSE Adult Culture Keeper

Protecting the environment is better known these days as being green. Being green doesn’t only mean recycling bottles, cans and paper or getting solar panels installed on your roof. There are hundreds ways to go green.

Disposing of household hazardous waste is one way to protect the environment and stay organized around the house. Now you will know how to get rid of those pesky paint cans in your closet or those bottles of motor oil in your trunk. One great thing about getting rid of paint at these locations is that if there is enough left in the can they will provide it for reuse an option for someone interested painting with your old colors.

Contra Costa County Household Hazardous Waste Program makes it really simple for us to clean up our potentially dangerous chemicals found around the house. The one catch is that you need to be a resident and that you must do the drop off at the appropriate site which is usually the one closest to you.

Three dropoff locations in Contra Costa County:

West County Facility
101 Pittsburg Ave., Richmond
(888) 412-9277

Central County Facility
4797 Imhoff Place, Martinez
(800) 646-1431

East County Facility
2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Highway, Antioch
(925) 756-1990

Hours: Call for dates & hours

Below is a list of acceptable materials (Materials Recycled and/or Reused):

Glass This vendor handles:
• Chemical Bottles

Hazardous Material This vendor handles:

• Acetone
• Acids & Caustics
• Aerosol Cans
• Antifreeze / Propylene Glycol
• Asbestos
• Batteries: Auto / Lead Acid
• Batteries: Buttons (Hearing Aid)
• Batteries: Household (Flashlight)
• Batteries: Ni-Cad, Ni-MH, Li-ion
• Batteries: Rechargeable
• Bleach & Cleaners
• Chemicals
• Cleansers
• Drain Cleaners
• Fertilizers
• Fire Extinguishers
• Flares
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs - Compact
• Fluorescent Lighting Ballasts
• Fluorescent Tubes / Lamps
• Gasoline
• Glues
• Hazardous Materials & Wastes
• Herbicides
• Household Hazardous Wastes
• Kerosene / Fuel
• Lighter Fluid
• Mercury
• Motor Oil
• Needles / Sharps
• Oil Filters
• Oils - Engine/Motor
• Oven Cleaners
• Paint Thinners
• Paint: Acrylic
• Paint: Latex
• Paint: Lead
• Paint: Oil Based
• Paint: Spray
• Pesticides
• Photo Chemicals
• Polishes
• Pool Chemicals
• Propane Gas Cans: Single Use
• Propane Gas Tanks: Refillable
• Solvents
• Spray Cans
• Thermometers: Mercury
• Thinners
• Waxes
• Window Cleaner

Metal This vendor handles:
• Helium Tanks: Empty
• Lead

Reuse This vendor handles:
• Paint: Give-A-Way Program