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Small Business Hazardous Waste Disposal Services

NEW: Drop-in program for businesses with latex paint, fluorescent lamps, batteries, and aerosol cans. Find out more.

COVID-19 Rules for Small Business Hazardous Waste Drop-off

For your safety and the safety of our staff, eligible businesses should observe the following rules while dropping off hazardous waste.

  • Stay in your vehicle. It is state law and part of our COVID-19 protection plan. Items must be in an unlocked trunk or back cargo space. Staff will not open passenger doors or enter vehicle cabin.
  • Face masks are mandatory. The driver and all passengers must wear a mask during HHW drop-off.
 
Small Business Hazardous Waste Disposal Services for qualifying Alameda County small quantity generators
 
If your business has leftover hazardous materials, you may be eligible for a service to safely dispose of these items at reasonable, affordable rates. Businesses that qualify as “small quantity generators” can dispose of hazardous materials safely, conveniently and in ways that protect our environment. 
 
Among the most common materials covered under the service are: 
  • Solvents, flammable solids and liquids, and detergents.
  • Propane tanks and aerosol cans.
  • Car and truck products, such as motor oil, lubricants, oil filters and antifreeze.
  • Lawn care products, such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers.
  • Paint and paint-related materials, such as stains, varnishes, roofing tar, adhesives, joint compounds and other petroleum-based products.
  • Photochemical liquids, acids, bases, neutral oxidizers and swimming-pool chemicals.

Step 1: Do I qualify? 

Nonprofit groups, landlords, condo operators, contractors, small businesses or any other organization or commercial entity that meets the following criteria:
  • Be located and generate the waste in Alameda County.
  • Qualify as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG) as defined in the California Health and Safety Code, section 25218.1, and the Code of Federal Regulations 40, Section 261.5.
  • You must produce less than 220 lbs, or 27 gallons of all kinds of hazardous waste per month, and less than 2.2 lbs of Extremely Hazardous Waste per month.
  • You must have less than 2,200 lbs (about 220 full one-gallon paint cans, or 45 full five-gallon buckets of paint) of all kinds of hazardous waste in storage at any time.

Step 2: Get an EPA ID Number.

All participants in the Small Business Waste program MUST HAVE an EPA Identification number.
  • Call the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) at 800-618-6942 to apply for an EPA ID. In many cases, EPA ID numbers can be assigned over the phone.

Step 3: The Forms

The CESQG self-certification form is a legal document attesting to the fact that your firm meets the criteria of a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator.
  • Download the form.
  • Fill out and return the completed certification and information forms, and we will open an account for you. Return the completed forms by email, fax or mail: 
Alameda County HHW CESQG 
1131 Harbor Bay Parkway
Alameda, CA 94502-6540  
fax: 510-293-9374
email: CESQG@acgov.org
 
After we have reviewed your certification form, we will open an account and send you a confirmation that you are eligible to participate in our program. At this time, we will determine whether you will need to submit a prior inventory. State, County and local hazardous materials regulating agencies reserve the right to visit your organization to verify your qualifications as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator.
 
To learn more about getting your business certified for the service:
Alameda County Environmental Health Department
800-606-6606

  • Small Business Hazardous Waste Program Packet

    This packet covers such topics as who can participate, what you need to do to start, what you can bring, and how to make an appointment. It also contains the CESQG self-certification form which you must fill out to participate in the program. Available as either a PDF or Word document.
    Download