Help us keep Marin County clean and safe for everyone by disposing of your Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) responsibly! Check out the resources on this page to understand HHW and how to dispose of it.
Materials known as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) are toxic to you and/or to the environment.
HHW materials include the following categories:
It is illegal in California to dispose of HHW in your curbside carts or through abandonment.
Except Novato
For waste disposal information and a complete description of limits and what can be brought to the facility, call the facility or visit the website. Residential drop-off is Tuesday – Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The facility is closed on closed Sundays, Mondays, and some holidays.
See the Marin HHW Facility website for full details on which items are accepted and items that are not accepted.
The Novato Household Hazardous Waste Center accepts drop-offs of household waste between 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on the first & third Sunday and Monday of the month.
Contact them directly for more information and appointment scheduling.
Learn more about Hazardous Waste disposal in the state of California by visiting the website of Hazardous Waste California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Watch the video below to learn more about Zero Waste Marin’s efforts with the California Product Stewardship Council to increase solar panel reuse and recycling!
There is a safe, legal, and convenient method to dispose of small quantities of household bulbs and batteries at a number of participating businesses throughout the county.
The Bulb and Battery Take-Back Program is designed to encourage Marin County residents to properly recycle their used household batteries, compact fluorescent lamps, and fluorescent tubes – free of charge – at convenient retail locations. Note that car batteries are not accepted through this program.
Batteries and fluorescent bulbs are considered household hazardous waste because they contain toxic heavy metals and have corrosive properties. They can pose a serious threat to public health when combined with household trash and have been banned from disposal at all landfills statewide.
This program is designed for Marin County residents only. Businesses should continue to dispose of their hazardous waste at the hazardous waste facilities in San Rafael or Novato.
Ace Building Supply Center
11280 State Route 1
Pt. Reyes, CA 94956
(415) 663-1737
Bolinas Bay Hardware and Mercantile
1 Olema Bolinas Rd.
Bolinas, CA 94924
(415) 868-2900
Good Earth Natural Foods
(Battery collection only)
720 Center Blvd.
Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 454-0123
Goodman Building Supply
775 Redwood Hwy.
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-6233
Jackson’s Hardware
435 Du Bois St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-3740
Marin Ace Hardware
180 Merrydale Rd.
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 479-9393
Marin County Free Library
(Battery collection only)
3501 Civic Center Dr.
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 499-6056
Point Reyes Building Supply & Hardware
11280 Hwy 1
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-1737
Tamalpais Community Services District
305 Bell Lane
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-6393
United Market
(Battery collection only)
100 Red Hill Ave.
San Anselmo, CA 94960
(415) 456-1271
United Market
(Battery collection only)
515 3rd St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-8912
Waterstreet Company
318 Caledonia St.
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 332-4318
Paint is toxic and can be harmful to the environment; please bring unused paint to one of these PaintCare local collection locations or take it to the Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
Novato residents should take paint to the Novato Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
Use the PaintCare Drop-off Site Locator to find more approved collection sites.
Dunn-Edwards Paint
717 Francisco Blvd. East
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 259-0302
Fairfax Lumber
109 Broadway
Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 453-4510
Marin Color Service
770 Second St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 453-4065
Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility
565 Jacoby
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 485-6806
It is illegal to dispose of electronics in the landfill in California; please help us keep these items out of the landfill by repairing, selling, donating or recycling them.
For donation, we suggest calling your local thrift shop, Goodwill, or Salvation Army to see if they will accept your working item.
Please call ahead to ensure the disposal option is available.
Recycling is the only legal way to dispose of your used motor oil and filters. Zero Waste Marin and participating businesses offer a free, convenient method to recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Simply collect your oil in a secure container, store your oil filter in a sealed bag, and bring it to one of the locations below during business hours. Zero Waste Marin occasionally hosts used oil and oil filter exchanges. When these events are scheduled, details will be posted here.
Please note that this program is designed for Marin County residents only. Businesses should contract with a universal waste hauler to safely manage hazardous waste or check with the Household Hazardous Waste facilities in San Rafael or Novato to see if they qualify as a Very Small Quantity Generator.
Maritime boat owners also have the option to participate in the Oil Absorbent Exchange Program (OAEP) at no cost. See the tab below.
Available while supplies last.
Zero Waste Marin’s used motor oil and filter recycling kit is a free, convenient way to recycle used oil and filters, and reduce mess during oil changes.
The kit includes a dual filter drainer, a 6-quart drain pan, and a shop rag. A list of all the used motor oil and filter collection centers in Marin County is included. (See full list below.)
Email ZWM to request your FREE kit today. Kits are also available (while supplies last) at the Marin HHW Facility in San Rafael.
In a California Boarter Survey conducted by the California Department of Boating and Waterways in 2011, more than 96 percent of boaters reported that oil leaks into the bilge or engine compartment most or every time they use their boat. This oil is then pumped from the bilge and into waterways – polluting the water, damaging the environment, and killing aquatic life.
The Oil & Absorbent Pad Exchange Program (OAEP) now offers boaters a FREE absorbent pillow or sheet they can place in the bilge to absorb oil. Once the pillow or sheet is saturated, participating marinas will safely and legally dispose of the oily pad and supply boaters with a new one. Participating in the OAEP is a safe, legal, and convenient method for boat owners to reduce oil pollution in waterways.
This program is for Marin County residents only. Businesses should continue to dispose of their hazardous waste at the hazardous waste facilities in San Rafael or Novato.
This program is limited to absorbent pillows and/or sheets.
San Rafael Yacht Harbor
557 Francisco Blvd. East
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 456-1600
Clipper Yacht Harbor
310 Harbor Dr.
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 332-3500
It is important to correctly dispose of medical waste and sharps, as these and other hazardous materials can be harmful to our families and the environment. For more information, including a list of sharps drop-off locations, visit the Marin County Medical Waste Program website.
How do I get rid of used sharps?
The safest method to get rid of used sharps is to package your sharps in an approved sharps container, then drop it off at an approved facility. Containers can be obtained at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility or any of the drop-off locations listed in the link above (subject to availability). The red sharps container is puncture-resistant and, once sealed, cannot spill. This container is considered full when it has been filled to three-fourths of its capacity. At this point, the container should be permanently sealed and returned to a disposal location as soon as possible. At that time, a new container should be obtained.
What happens if I just throw sharps in the garbage?
Used sharps (i.e., lancets, needles, syringes with needles, etc.) are extremely toxic and dangerous; never throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet. When improperly disposed of, sharps may end up inside trash bags or the community sewage treatment plant, where they may puncture a waste or sewage worker’s skin – even through their clothing. Sharps may end up on the ground where they can injure anyone who comes in contact with them – even if they are wearing shoes. Always use an approved sharps container to dispose of these items correctly and safely.
Zero Waste Marin coordinates Toxic Away Day events, making it easier for residents of West Marin to dispose of used toxic materials closer to home. Events typically take place in the spring and the fall.
PROTECTING OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER