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 rinse paint ‰ Never wash excess material from bricklaying or used motor oil, antifreeze, and paint products that conta i ners into a street, gutter, storm patio or driveway construction into a street or people pour or spill into streets or storm drains. drain, or stream. storm drain. Empty mixing container onto a dirt

For water-based paints, paint out area, or allow material to dry and put in trash. Thirteen valley municipalities have joined together ‰ brushes on scrap material to the with Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley ‰ Dispose of small amounts of excess dry extent possible, and rinse into a Water District to educate local residents and concrete, grout, and mortar in the trash. Call drain that goes to the sanitary businesses and fight stormwater pollution. Join us, by your local refuse hauler for weight and size sewer (i.e. indoor plumbing). following the practices described in this pamphlet. limits. ‰ For oil-based paints, paint out ‰ Collect and reuse excess abrasive gravel and brushe s 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, General Construction the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution spent brushes, rags, and drop cloths may be Prevention Program’s other publications in this series disposed of as trash. Leave the lids off paint ‰ Keep all construction debris away from the of brochures, and to Blueprint for a Clean Bay, a cans so the refuse collector can see that they street, gutter, and storm drain. are empty. manual of best-management practices for ‰ 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. corner or downstream for material that may have Keep waterway protection in mind whenever you or 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) properly store for drains. Antifreeze (in some communities) household hazardous ‰ Schedule grading and excavation projects waste event. during dry weather. Take to a household hazardous ‰ Cover excavated material and stockpiles of Reuse/recycle leftover waste drop-off event: asphalt, sand, etc. with plastic tarps during the paints whenever possible Unused garden and household chemicals rainy season. Leftover paint ‰ Replant as soon as possible, with temporary ‰ Use up excess vegetation such as annual grass seed if paint or give it to Used solvents necessary. Revegetation provides excellent a neighbor, or take Paint stripping residue and rags erosion control. it to a household Used antifreeze hazardous waste ‰ Take care not to over apply pesticides, and use event. Most up leftover supply. Rinse empty containers, and household Dispose as trash: use rinsewater as you would use the product. hazardous waste Dispose of empty rinsed containers in the trash. collection programs Construction debris from small projects ‰ Dispose of unused pesticide as hazardous can recycle latex Dry, empty paint cans, spent brushes, rags, and drop waste. (water-based) cloths ‰ Collect lawn and garden clippings, pruning paint. Small amounts of dry mortar, grout, etc. 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 bags or containers. drains. If ‰ Do not blow or rake leaves, etc. into the construction street, or place yard waste in gutters or on materials or dirt shoulders, unless you are piling them for other wastes get recycling (San Jose and unincorporated County into a gutter, storm only). drain, or creek, call your ‰ In San Jose, leave yard waste for curbside local spill response agency recycling in piles in the street, 18 inches from immediately! (See list on back of brochure.) 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 Spill Response Agencies: Disposal Program 1. In the City of Santa Clara, call (408) 984-3080. Businesses that generate less than 27 gallons or 220 2. In the City of Palo Alto, call (650) 329-2413. Home Repair pounds of hazardous waste per month are eligible to 3. In the City of San Jose, Dial 9-1-1 if hazardous use Santa Clara County’s Small Business Hazardous materials the storm drain system. For non- Waste Disposal Program. Call (408) 299-7300 for a hazardous spills, call (408) 945-3000. and Remodeling quote. 4. In other cities, DIAL 9-1-1

Palo Alto operates a similar program, with monthly 5. State Office of Emergency Services Warning Best Management Practices for collection, for small businesses. Call the City of Palo Center (24 hours)...... 1-800-852-7550 Construction Activities Alto, (650) 496-6980, or Greenfield Services 6. Santa Clara County Environmental Health Corporation, 1-800-433-5060 for information or to Services...... (408) 299-6930 • Landscaping/Foundation Work schedule an appointment. Local Pollution Control Agencies • Painting and Paint Cleanup This brochure is one in a series of pamphlets • Concrete, Masonry, and Tile Work describing storm drain pollution prevention measures County of Santa Clara for specific types of construction industry activities. Pollution Prevention Program...... (408) 441-1195 • General Construction Other pamphlets include: County of Santa Clara Integrated Waste Management Program...... (408) 441-1198 General Construction and Site Supervision County of Santa Clara District Attorney Landscaping, Gardening, and Pool Environmental Crimes Hotline...... (408) 299-TIPS Maintenance Santa Clara County Recycling Hotline...... 1-800-533-8414 Painting and Application of Solvents and Adhesives Santa Clara Valley Water District...... (408) 265-2600 Fresh Concrete and Mortar Application Santa Clara Valley Water District Pollution Hotline...... 1-888-510-5151 Roadwork and Paving San Jose/Santa Clara Water Earth-Moving Activities and Dewatering Pollution Control Plant...... (408) 945-3000 Activities Serving Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, San Jose, Santa Heavy Equipment Operation Clara, Saratoga

Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant Home Repair and Remodeling Serving Sunnyvale...... 408) 730-7270

For additional brochures, call 1-800-794-2482. Regional Water Quality Control Plant...... (650) 329-2598 Who should use this brochure? Serving East Palo Alto Sanitary District, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Stanford • Homeowners Regional Water Quality Control Board • Do-it yourself remodelers Santa Clara V alley San Francisco Bay Region...... (510) 622-2300 • General contractors Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program June 2001