Preventing Pollution

Preventing Pollution: Painting and Concrete, Masonry, and Tile Work Paint Cleanup  Don’t mix up more fresh concrete or cement than you need for each project. It’s Up to Us All paints, solvents, and adhesives contain chemicals In the Santa Clara Valley, storm drains transport that are harmful to aquatic animals and other wildlife  Cover and protect bags of cement and plaster water directly to local creeks and San Francisco Bay, in our creeks and Bay. Toxic chemicals may come after they are open. Be sure to keep wind-blown without treatment. Stormwater pollution is a serious from liquid or solid products or from cleaning residues cement powder away from gutters, storm drains, problem for wildlife dependent on our waterways and on rags. It is especially important not to clean rainfall, and runoff. for people who live near polluted streams or brushes or painting equipment (buckets, pans, hoses,  Wash down exposed aggregate concrete only baylands. Some common sources of this pollution etc.) in an area where paint or paint cleanup water when wash water can flow onto a dirt area, or be include spilled oil, fuel, and fluids from vehicles and can flow to a gutter, street, or storm drain. collected, pumped, and disposed of properly. heavy equipment; construction debris; sediment Paint Cleanup Make sure runoff does not reach gutters or created by erosion, landscaping runoff containing storm drains. pesticides or weed killers; and materials such as  Never clean brushes or  Never wash excess material from bricklaying or used motor oil, antifreeze, and paint products that rinse paint containers into a street, gutter, patio or driveway construction into a street or people pour or spill into streets or storm drains. storm drain, or stream. storm drain. Empty mixing container onto a dirt area, or allow material to dry and put in trash. Thirteen valley municipalities have joined together  For water-based paints, with Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley paint out brushes on scrap material to  Dispose of small amounts of excess dry Water District to educate local residents and the extent possible, and rinse into a concrete, grout, and mortar in the trash. Call businesses and fight stormwater pollution. Join us, by drain that goes to the sanitary sewer your local refuse hauler for weight and size following the practices described in this pamphlet. (i.e. indoor plumbing). limits.  For oil-based paints, paint out  Collect and reuse excess abrasive gravel and brushes to the extent possible before sand. Doing the Job Right soaking in paint thinner to clean. Filter and reuse thinner and solvents. Dispose of unwanted oil-  Never hose down driveways, sidewalk, or This brochure is for homeowners, and do-it- based paint, used thinner, and paint residue at a streets. yourself remodelers who have access to residential hazardous waste collection event. household hazardous waste disposal programs. Contractors and other professionals should refer to  When they are thoroughly dry, empty paint cans, the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution spent brushes, rags, and drop cloths may be General Construction disposed of as trash. Leave the lids off paint Prevention Program’s other publications in this series  Keep all construction debris away from the cans so the refuse collector can see that they of brochures, and to Blueprint for a Clean Bay, a street, gutter, and storm drain. manual of best-management practices for are empty.  During cleanup, check the street and gutters for construction-related industries.  Dispose of empty aerosol paint cans as sediment, refuse, or debris. Look around the household hazardous waste. Keep waterway protection in mind whenever you or corner or downstream for material that may have already traveled away from your property. people you hire work on your house or property. The Paint Removal property owner is ultimately responsible for correcting  If you or your contractor keep a dumpster at any pollution problems caused by construction  Buildings constructed your site, be sure it is securely covered with a lid activities. Penalties may be more severe if storm before 1978 may have or tarp when it is not in use. drain pollution is not reported promptly. lead paint. Test paint  Place portable toilets away from storm drains. for lead by taking paint Make sure toilets are in working order. Check scrapings to a local frequently for leaks. laboratory. Household Hazardous Waste Recycling—Buy and sell building C & M Diversified 330 N. Montgomery St., San Jose Disposal materials, concrete, asphalt, yard (408) 294-5185 waste Doors, filing cabinets, kitchen cabinets, plumbing For information, contact your City’s program or the fixtures, windows ABC Recycling Industries Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Granite Rock Santa Clara Program, (408) 299-7300. San Jose (408) 732-9253 (408) 574-3000 Pallets, cardboard For Palo Alto residents, household hazardous waste Asphalt, concrete, concrete with rebar is collected monthly at the Regional Water Quality BFI – Waste Systems of North America, Inc. Control Plant, 2501 Embarcadero Way. Most events San Jose Los Altos Garbage Company/Stevens Creek are on the first Saturday of the month, from 9 a.m. (408) 432-1234 Disposal & Recycling Santa Clara until noon. For information, call (650) 496-6980. Construction demolition materials, concrete (408) 970-5100 with/without rebar, asphalt and untreated wood Wood, toilets, construction demolition materials City of Santa Clara collection events are held twice a (separation of these materials at the source of year. Call (408) 984-3080. generation required) Raish Products Recycling Yard 143 Carl Road., Sunnyvale Butterick Enterprises (408) 734-4245 San Jose Asphalt, concrete Construction Materials & (408)292-5687 Equipment Reuse and Exchange Asphalt, concrete, mixed asphalt, rock, wood, Recycle West construction demolition materials; on-site pickup Santa Clara available (888) 366-7228 CALMAX Concrete, untreated wood, construction debris; on- Sacramento site pickup available (916) 255-2369 Bi-monthly listing of available and wanted materials: The Recyclery www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/ San Jose (408) 262-1401 Clean wood waste, clean concrete (<1’), asphalt Urban Ore, Inc. 7th Street at Ashby, Berkeley SRDC (510) 235-0172 199 Seaport Blvd., Redwood City Building materials exchange, household goods, office (650) 961-2742 furniture Brick, concrete, rock San Martin Transfer and Recycling San Martin (408) 842-3358 Asphalt, concrete, rocks, wood/demolition debris, untreated wood only; on-site pickup available Valley Recycling San Jose (408) 297-5352 Construction demolition debris Zanker Resource Management 705 Los Esteros Road, San Jose (408) 263-2383 Landscaping/Foundation Work  Chemical paint stripping residues, including Recycle: saturated rags, are a hazardous waste and Intensive gardening, landscaping, and all excavation should be taken to a household hazardous Plant material/tree branches, leaves, etc. projects such as foundation repair or pool waste event. Wood, broken asphalt, and concrete (check with your construction expose soils and increase the likelihood local landfill) that garden chemicals and earth will wash into the  Chips and dust from marine paints or paints Water-based paints (in some communities) storm drains. Be careful to control erosion and containing lead, mercury or tributyl-tin are minimize runoff to all driveways, gutters, and storm hazardous wastes. Sweep up paint chips and Used motor oil (curbside pickup in most communities) drains. properly store for household Antifreeze (in some communities) hazardous waste event.  Schedule grading and excavation projects during dry weather. Take to a household hazardous Reuse/recycle waste drop-off event:  Cover excavated material and stockpiles of leftover paints whenever asphalt, sand, etc. with plastic tarps during the Unused garden and household chemicals rainy season. possible Leftover paint  Replant as soon as possible, with temporary  Use up excess paint Used solvents vegetation such as annual grass seed if or give it to a neighbor, or necessary. Revegetation provides excellent take it to a household Paint stripping residue and rags erosion control. hazardous waste event. Used antifreeze Most household  Take care not to over apply pesticides, and use hazardous waste up leftover supply. Rinse empty containers, and collection programs can Dispose as trash: use rinsewater as you would use the product. recycle latex (water- Dispose of empty rinsed containers in the trash. Construction debris from small projects based) paint.  Dispose of unused pesticide as hazardous Dry, empty paint cans, spent brushes, rags, and drop waste. cloths Small amounts of dry mortar, grout, etc.  Collect lawn and garden clippings, pruning waste, and tree trimmings. Many cities and landfills have yard waste collection and composting programs. Check with your municipality to see if yard waste pickup is Clean up all available and what the collection requirements spills when they are. happen. Do not  In areas with curbside pickup of yard waste flush spills into place clippings and pruning waste in approved storm drains. bags or containers. If construction materials or  Do not blow or rake leaves, etc. into the other wastes street, or place yard waste in gutters or on dirt shoulders, unless you are piling them for get into a gutter, recycling (San Jose and unincorporated County storm drain, or creek, only). call your local spill response agency immediately! (See list on back of  In San Jose, leave yard waste for curbside brochure.) recycling in piles in the street, 18 inches from the curb and completely out of the flow line of any storm drain. Or, take to a landfill that composts yard waste.  Small Business Hazardous Waste 3. In the City of San Jose, Dial 9-1-1 if hazardous Disposal Program materials the storm drain system. For non- hazardous spills, call (408) 945-3000. Home Repair Businesses that generate less than 27 gallons or 220 4. In other cities, DIAL 9-1-1 pounds of hazardous waste per month are eligible to 5. State Office of Emergency Services Warning and Remodeling use Santa Clara County’s Small Business Hazardous Center (24 hours)...... 1-800-852-7550 Waste Disposal Program. Call (408) 299-7300 for a 6. Santa Clara County Environmental Health quote. Best Management Practices for Services...... (408) 299-6930 Construction Activities Palo Alto operates a similar program, with monthly Local Pollution Control Agencies collection, for small businesses. Call the City of Palo  Landscaping/Foundation Work Alto, (650) 496-6980, or Greenfield Services County of Santa Clara Corporation, 1-800-433-5060 for information or to Pollution Prevention Program...... (408) 441-1195  Painting and Paint Cleanup schedule an appointment. County of Santa Clara Integrated Waste  Concrete, Masonry, and Tile Work Management Program...... (408) 441-1198 This brochure is one in a series of pamphlets  General Construction describing storm drain pollution prevention measures County of Santa Clara District Attorney for specific types of construction industry activities. Environmental Crimes Hotline...... (408) 299-TIPS Other pamphlets include: Santa Clara County Recycling Hotline...... 1-800-533-8414 General Construction and Site Supervision Landscaping, Gardening, and Pool Santa Clara Valley Water Maintenance District...... (408) 265-2600 Painting and Application of Solvents and Santa Clara Valley Water Adhesives District Pollution Hotline...... 1-888-510-5151 San Jose/Santa Clara Water Fresh Concrete and Mortar Application Pollution Control Plant...... (408) 945-3000 Roadwork and Paving Serving Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Earth-Moving Activities and Dewatering Milpitas, Monte Sereno, San Jose, Santa Activities Clara, Saratoga Heavy Equipment Operation Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant Serving Sunnyvale...... 408) 730-7270 Home Repair and Remodeling Regional Water Quality Control Plant...... (650) 329-2598 For additional brochures, call 1-800-794-2482. Serving East Palo Alto Sanitary District, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Stanford Who should use this brochure? Regional Water Quality Control Board San Francisco Bay Region...... (510) 622-2300  Homeowners Santa Clara Valley  Do-it yourself remodelers Urban Runoff June 2001 Pollution Prevention Program  General contractors Spill Response Agencies:

1. In the City of Santa Clara, call (408) 984-3080. 2. In the City of Palo Alto, call (650) 329-2413.