Household Hazardous Waste

Alameda County’s household hazardous waste service gives residents a place to bring unwanted paint, batteries, cleaning chemicals, electronics, and other hazardous products generated while maintaining their homes. This article explains who can use the service, where permanent drop-off facilities operate, what materials they accept, how to prepare a load, and what to bring for residency verification. It also explains the different requirements for community collection events, residential landlords, and businesses.

Who Operates the Service?

The Alameda County Environmental Health Department coordinates household hazardous waste services in collaboration with StopWaste. The county’s Household Hazardous Waste program page separates services for residents from services for businesses, organizations, and agencies. Choosing the correct service matters because residential drop-off rules do not apply to every person or organization generating waste in the county.

For residents, the program covers hazardous waste generated through the care and maintenance of an Alameda County home. This includes products used in the home, garden, or vehicle, as well as accepted electronics, lamps, and batteries. The county’s resident hazardous waste services page provides access to permanent facility information, one-day collection events, and RE:Source, Alameda County’s guide to reuse, repair, recycling, and safe disposal options.

The permanent collection facilities are in Oakland, Hayward, Livermore, and Fremont. These are the locations for residential waste delivery. The Environmental Health Department’s office address is a separate administrative contact; use the designated collection facility addresses when planning a drop-off.

Resident Eligibility and Drop-Off Costs

Alameda County residents can bring accepted household hazardous waste to any of the four permanent facilities for free, without an appointment. Residents may choose the location that is most convenient for them. The residential program is funded by an annual household fee of $7.80, rather than a payment collected for each eligible residential drop-off.

The waste must come from maintaining your place of residence in Alameda County. A household resident must transport it to the facility. A hauler or other third party cannot deliver a resident’s waste through this service.

Business-generated waste belongs in the business program, even when the business operates from a home. Contractors, organizations, government agencies, and landlords also need to determine which service applies before bringing a load. Having an Alameda County residential address does not make commercial waste eligible for the regular household drop-off service.

Permanent Facilities and Operating Hours

The four permanent facilities offer weekly collection hours, including Saturdays. Their schedules differ, so review the official drop-off facility details before traveling. In particular, Hayward and Livermore do not have Wednesday residential service, while Oakland and Fremont do.

Oakland and Fremont Schedules

The Oakland facility accepts residential waste Wednesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed Sunday through Tuesday.

The Fremont facility operates Wednesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed Sunday through Tuesday. This hazardous waste facility is part of the Fremont Recycling and Transfer Station; the household hazardous waste service has its own acceptance rules and operating schedule.

Hayward and Livermore Schedules

The Hayward and Livermore facilities accept residential waste Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Both are closed Sunday through Wednesday.

Holiday closures can differ among facilities. Review the facility-specific closure information before visiting on or near a holiday, rather than relying only on the regular weekly hours. Permanent collection is available year-round, but that does not mean a facility is open every day.

Proof of Alameda County Residency

Bring documentation showing your Alameda County address. The facility instructions identify the following acceptable forms of residency documentation:

A driver’s license or state identification card.
A recent utility bill.
A rental or ownership agreement.

Staff verify residency when you arrive, and the facility page describes scanning identification as part of that process. Have your documentation accessible before entering the unloading area. The purpose of this check is to establish that you qualify for the county’s residential service.

Load Limits and Container Preparation

Permanent facilities accept a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit. Each individual container must be no larger than 5 gallons or weigh more than 50 pounds. The container limit and the total load limit are separate requirements: several acceptable containers can still add up to an oversized load.

Assess the entire load before leaving home. A household cleanup may include paint, vehicle fluids, garden chemicals, and cleaners together, so consider the combined amount rather than reviewing each category in isolation. The published limits apply to a visit, not separately to each type of product.

Use sturdy, sealed, leak-proof containers. Keep different chemicals separate and do not combine products to reduce the number of containers. Place the materials in your trunk or cargo area before arriving, and make that area accessible for staff to unload.

At the facility, pull up and remain in your vehicle. Open the trunk or cargo area and allow staff to remove the waste. The program identifies remaining in the vehicle as a state-law requirement. You do not need to carry containers into the collection area yourself.

Materials Accepted at Permanent Facilities

The program accepts many products commonly found in garages, cabinets, workshops, and gardens. Product labels containing words such as “Danger,” “Warning,” “Caution,” “Poisonous,” “Flammable,” “Corrosive,” or “Toxic” can help identify potentially hazardous materials. However, a warning label alone does not establish that a particular item is accepted. Review the accepted and prohibited materials list for the product you plan to bring.

Paint, Cleaners, and Garden Chemicals

Accepted paint and coating materials include latex and oil-based paints, stains, varnishes, paint thinners, solvents, roofing tar, adhesives, glues, and wood preservatives. These materials should remain separated rather than being poured into a shared container.

Household cleaning products include drain cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, ammonia products, bleach, disinfectants, furniture polish, and metal cleaners. Garden and pest-control products include pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, rodent poisons, and pool or spa chemicals.

Nonempty aerosol cans containing products such as spray paint, household sprays, personal care products, or lubricants are also accepted. The program’s materials page states that completely empty aerosol cans can go in the garbage, distinguishing them from cans that still contain product.

Automotive Fluids and Small Gas Containers

Accepted automotive materials include motor oil, lubricants, gasoline, diesel fuel, antifreeze, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and oil filters. Lead-acid automotive batteries are accepted as well.

Propane tanks must be 5 gallons or smaller. The permanent-facility materials list also accepts camping fuel canisters and small compressed gas cylinders containing propane, butane, or MAPP gas. Do not assume that a cylinder containing a different gas qualifies simply because its size is similar.

Batteries, Electronics, and Lighting

Facilities accept common household batteries, rechargeable batteries, button-cell batteries, and battery-embedded products. Accepted lithium batteries must weigh under 5 pounds and have a capacity of no more than 300 watt-hours. Large lithium batteries from electric vehicles, electric scooters, and electric bicycles are excluded.

Accepted electronics include computers, laptops, monitors, televisions, printers, scanners, cell phones, tablets, audio and video equipment, cables, and chargers. Certain electronic appliances, including microwave ovens and robot vacuums, are also accepted. These examples do not extend acceptance to large household appliances.

Lighting materials include compact fluorescent lamps, fluorescent tubes and ballasts, mercury-containing bulbs, string lights, and LED bulbs. The permanent-facility list accepts fluorescent tubes and ballasts of all sizes; community events have a separate fluorescent-bulb length restriction.

Sharps and Other Household Items

Medical sharps, including needles, syringes, and lancets, must be placed in a rigid, puncture-proof container before delivery. Loose sharps do not meet the stated packaging requirement.

Other accepted household items include residential-size fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, mercury thermometers and thermostats, photographic chemicals, and fiberglass resins. Acceptance at a permanent facility does not automatically mean that the same item is accepted at a one-day event.

Items Requiring a Different Disposal Route

Permanent household hazardous waste facilities cannot accept medications or prescription drugs. Medications have a separate disposal route, and some one-day household hazardous waste events accept them. Keep this distinction in mind when preparing a load that includes both household chemicals and unwanted medicine.

Large appliances, including refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, and water heaters, are excluded. Construction and demolition debris, treated wood waste, railroad ties, and asbestos-containing materials are also outside the permanent facilities’ accepted materials.

Other exclusions include radioactive materials, explosives, large lithium batteries, and compressed gas cylinders larger than 5 gallons. Business waste must go through the applicable business service. For a product whose acceptance you cannot establish from the published materials information, contact the household hazardous waste program before transporting it. RE:Source is another county-provided system for identifying disposal options by item.

One-Day Collection Events

Alameda County also offers free community collection events at rotating locations, approximately 12 times per year. The one-day household hazardous waste event schedule provides event details. Review the individual listing, including any registration directions; some listings provide the address through registration.

Events accept most of the same household materials as permanent facilities, including batteries, paint, electronics, automotive fluids, garden chemicals, cleaners, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, and contained sharps. They also accept cooking oil and medications, including controlled substances. This medication acceptance is a significant difference from the permanent facilities.

Event Restrictions and Container Returns

Event fluorescent light bulbs may be no longer than 8 feet, or 96 inches. Events do not accept smoke detectors or compressed gas cylinders other than propane. They also exclude treated wood, railroad ties, large appliances, construction and demolition waste, asbestos, explosives, ammunition, fireworks, and radioactive materials.

Motor oil and gasoline containers cannot be returned at events. At permanent facilities, staff can save emptied motor oil and gasoline containers. If keeping a container matters to you, consider this difference when choosing between an event and a permanent facility.

For an event visit, bring proof of Alameda County residency, use sturdy sealed containers, keep chemicals separated, and transport the materials in the trunk or cargo area. Remain in your vehicle while staff unloads. Review event-specific information instead of assuming the permanent-facility rules cover every event detail.

Residential Landlord Disposal Requirements

Residential landlords generally cannot use the regular resident service for hazardous waste left by tenants. Alameda County provides a separate free program for qualifying residential landlords and condominium owners associations. The Residential Landlord Hazardous Waste Service explains eligibility, account setup, required forms, and appointment procedures.

An exception applies to a landlord with four or fewer units on the same parcel whose legal residence is in one of those units. That landlord is considered a household for this service and may use the regular residential drop-off program.

Qualification and Account Setup

To qualify as a Very Small Quantity Generator, a landlord must generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month, generate less than 2.2 pounds of extremely hazardous waste per month, and store less than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste at any time. Latex paint, aerosol cans, household batteries, and Universal Waste lamps are excluded from the stated 220-pound monthly and 2,200-pound storage limits.

An active EPA Hazardous Waste Identification Number is required to establish an account for hazardous waste delivery. The program provides an exception when the site will deliver only latex paint and Universal Waste batteries, lamps, and aerosol cans.

Applicants complete the Residential Landlord Service Packet, which contains a Certification Form, Information Form, and Inventory Form. Completed forms can be submitted by mail, fax, or email using the program’s submission directions. After receiving confirmation and an account number, the landlord calls the household hazardous waste program to schedule an appointment. Landlord appointments cannot be made online, and landlord waste cannot be delivered during resident collection days.

Landlord Materials and Transportation

The landlord service accepts specified paints, landscape chemicals, automotive products, batteries, lamps, cleaners, pool chemicals, aerosol cans, and eligible propane tanks. Its exclusions differ from resident service: electronics, small appliances, fire extinguishers, and unlabeled or unknown chemicals are among the prohibited materials.

The landlord, property owner, or an employee must transport the waste; for-hire haulers cannot deliver it for another company. Containers must be clearly labeled, securely closed, in good condition, and suitable for their contents, with no hazardous residue on the exterior. Pack and brace them to prevent movement, breakage, and spills. Keep the waste accessible outside the passenger area and remain in the vehicle during unloading. The landlord service retains all containers.

Business Waste Uses Separate Programs

Qualifying Alameda County businesses have appointment-based and express drop-in options through the Business Hazardous Waste service. Eligibility is for Very Small Quantity Generators producing less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month. The program includes eligible contractors, nonprofits, government agencies, home businesses, and commercial landlords.

The appointment-based Small Business Service accepts a broader range of hazardous materials and requires an EPA identification number, an account, and an appointment. It has a $25 minimum charge.

The business drop-in service requires neither an appointment nor an account, but it accepts only latex paint, aerosol cans, fluorescent lamps, and batteries. It operates at three facilities during designated business service hours and also has a $25 minimum charge. The absence of an appointment requirement does not allow businesses to use the regular residential schedule.

Business applicants should establish their eligibility and service type before preparing a delivery. Resident documentation, a landlord account number, and a business EPA identification number serve different purposes; none should be treated as interchangeable authorization for every collection program.

Departments and Collection Offices

Alameda County Environmental Health
1131 Harbor Bay Parkway
Alameda, CA 94502-6577
Phone: (510) 567-6700

Alameda County HHW VSQG
1131 Harbor Bay Parkway, M/S 51701
Alameda, CA 94502-6540
Phone: (800) 606-6606

Oakland Household Hazardous Waste Facility
2100 East 7th Street
Oakland, CA

Hayward Household Hazardous Waste Facility
2091 West Winton Ave.
Hayward, CA

Livermore Household Hazardous Waste Facility
5584 La Ribera St.
Livermore, CA

Fremont Household Hazardous Waste Facility
41149 Boyce Road
Fremont, CA

Household Hazardous Waste FAQs

Where can I dispose of marine flares?

The published guidance needs careful checking before you travel. StopWaste’s household hazardous waste overview lists marine flares, fireworks, and ammunition as accepted only at Oakland, Livermore, and Hayward. However, its detailed materials page lists explosives and ammunition as prohibited, and ordinary one-day events exclude explosives, ammunition, and fireworks. Do not assume every collection accepts these items. The official collection event schedule separately lists a Marine Flare Collection Event on October 25, 2026, in Oakland, with the address provided through registration. Review that specific listing before arranging disposal.

Can household batteries go with curbside recycling?

Some Alameda County cities offer household battery collection in a clear bag placed on top of the recycling cart. This is a separate collection method; it does not mean batteries belong loose inside the cart. Availability depends on your city’s service, so confirm local instructions before setting batteries out. The county household hazardous waste guidance identifies curbside collection as an alternative, but does not establish one countywide procedure for every address.

Is there another option for used motor oil?

Yes. The official program guidance identifies CalRecycle-certified collection centers as an alternative for free disposal of used motor oil and filters. Some cities also offer curbside pickup. These options can help when your cleanup involves oil rather than a mixed load of household chemicals. Check the applicable collection instructions before bringing other automotive fluids; the reference’s motor oil alternative does not establish acceptance of gasoline, coolant, or brake fluid.

How can landlords prevent chemicals being left behind?

The county’s residential landlord program guidance recommends explaining safe waste handling to tenants, including disposal expectations in lease agreements, and distributing program flyers at move-in and move-out. It also recommends inspecting properties during turnovers for chemicals, electronics, mercury thermostats, and materials requiring special handling. Giving tenants disposal instructions before they move helps address unwanted products while the tenants can still manage them.