Household Hazardous Waste Program

This page provides information and resources on how and where to recycle and dispose of your hazardous wastes, including electronics, medications, sharps and motor oil.

For information about composting, trash service, bulky item pickup, and what's accepted in blue recycling bins, visit the Recology website.

Novato Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility

Novato Household Hazardous Waste Facility accepts drop-offs of most common household hazardous waste. Appointments are Required to Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

Location: 7576 Redwood Blvd
Days/Times: Sundays 8:30am - 1:30pm and Mondays from 8:30am - 12:00; 1st & 3rd Sundays & Mondays.
What's Accepted at the Facility: see below for full lists of what is and is not accepted.
Questions? Call HHW HOTLINE- (415) 892-7344

Click Here to Schedule An Appointment

Be ready to select a date and time, provide basic contact information and review safety requirements.

What's Accepted at Novato Hazardous Waste Facility

Aerosols – all kinds
Auto Products – polishes, antifreeze
Asbestos in small amounts, double-bagged
Batteries – all kinds
Building products, sealers, caulking, glues
Cosmetics, nail polish
CRT's (TV's or computer monitors – up to 5)
E-Waste
Fluorescent ballasts (without fixtures)
Fluorescent tubes & bulbs
Fuels – gasoline, kerosene, butane, lamp oil
Household cleaners, polishes, disinfectants
Motor oil & oil filters
Paints (oil base & latex), stains, solvents
Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers
Pool & photo chemicals
Pet products
Spray paints
Small propane tanks & fire extinguishers
Sharps (in approved containers only)
Televisions
Thermometers & thermostats

What's NOT Accepted at Novato Hazardous Waste Facility

Explosives or ammunition. Call your local police

Asbestos in large amounts. We only accept up to 2 30 gal. size trash bags of asbestos double-bagged

Radioactive waste.

Medical or biological wastes. Call the County Health Department

Business or commercial waste. Call the Novato Business Hotline at (415) 892-6395

Medications. Bring old prescription medications to the Novato Police Department

LARGE Appliances – Washers, dryers, etc – call Recology at (800) 243-0291 for pick-up

Treated Wood Waste – to find a facility that accepts treated wood waste go to dtsc.ca.gov/toxics-in-products/treated-wood-waste

Appointment Calendar
Open 1st and 3rd Sundays and Mondays

View All Dates for 2024

* Extra days for 2024

Sunday	Monday
January 7	January 8
January 21	January 22
February 4	February 5
February 18	February 19
March 3	March 4
March 17	March 18
April 7	April 8
April 21	April 22
May 5	May 6
May 19	May 20
June 2	June 3
June 16	June 17
July 7	July 8
July 21	July 22
August 4	August 5
August 18	August 19
Closed Labor Day Weekend	Closed Labor Day Weekend
September 8	September 9
September 15	September 16
** September 29	** September 30
October 6	October 7
October 20	October 21
November 3	November 4
November 17	November 18
December 1	December 2
December 15	December 16

Other Hazardous Waste Disposal and Recycling Resources

The section below contains pick up service information and additional drop off locations for Hazardous Waste Disposal and Recycling, organized by waste type (Electronics, Fluorescents and batteries; Medications and Sharps; Used Motor Oil.)

Schedule Free Pick-Up of E-Waste By Conservation Corps of the North Bay

Free E-Waste Pick Up Service

The Conservation Corps of the North Bay (CCNB) provides free pick up of residential e-waste every Monday and Thursday (except holidays) for Novato residents. The e-waste collected by CCNB will be securely recycled by a certified e-waste recycler in California.

Click here for a list of what is and what is not accepted.

To schedule a pick up email or phone the CCNB: recycle@ccnorthbay.org or (415) 454-4554.

This program is made possible with funding from the Novato Sanitary District

Electronics, Fluorescents and Household Batteries

Electronic Waste Disposal and Recycling Centers

Goodwill Donation Centers – 2 locations
936 Seventh Street,
AND
Vintage Oaks Shopping Center (Rowland Boulevard, behind Marshalls)
Hours: Mon-Sun – 8:30-12:00; 1:00-5:00
Accepts a variety of computer equipment, WORKING OR NOT, for reuse or recycling

Novato Household Hazardous Waste Facility
7576 Redwood Blvd.
Open 1st and 3rd Sun and Mon of each month (by appointment only)
(415) 892-7344

E-Waste Collective
42 Digital Drive, #3, Novato CA
(415) 883-1428
www.ewastecollective.org
Accepts all types of electronics, including microwaves, for FREE. Call for hours

Renew Computers
446 DuBois Street, San Rafael, CA
(415) 457-8801
Hours: Mon-Fri – 9:00-5:00; Sat – 10:00-3:00
www.renewcomputers.com
Accepts a variety of computer related equipment and small electronics for free.

Note about Fluorescents and Household Batteries disposal.

Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescents contain mercury vapor, an acutely toxic material, and cannot be disposed of in the trash.
Remove fluorescent tubes and ballasts from their fixtures before recycling
Household batteries contain heavy metals such as zinc, cadmium and lead.
Tape ends of all NON alkaline batteries with electrical or duct tape to prevent shorting before disposal.
Keep fluorescents and household batteries separate to prevent breakage.

Where to Recycle Fluorescents and Household Batteries

Novato Recycling Center
Maximum of 10 fluorescent tubes
7576 Redwood Blvd.
Hours: Tues – Sat 10:00-4:00

Novato Household Hazardous Waste Facility
7576 Redwood Blvd.
Open 1st and 3rd Sun and Mon of each month (by appointment only)
(415) 892-7344

Pini's Hardware
Batteries Only
1535 South Novato Blvd.
Hours: Mon-Sat– 8:00-6:00; Sun – 9:00-5:00

Medications and Sharps Disposal

Novato’s Safe Disposal Program for Unwanted Medications and Sharps Waste

Novato Sanitary District, in partnership with the Novato Police Department, encourages you to safely dispose of all unwanted medications. Drugs that are flushed down the drain can pollute our marine environment, soils and groundwater. Protect your family by keeping all drugs away from children and pets. Medications can be disposed of at the locations below.

Sharps Waste Disposal

Improperly disposed of, sharps (needles, lancets and syringes), can result in serious injury and illness to children, pets and disposal workers. It is illegal to dispose of sharps in the trash or recycling containers. Sharps can be safely disposed of at the locations listed. They must be packaged in “approved” red sharps containers, which are available at collection locations.

SHARPS: must be in approved red sharps containers

UNWANTED MEDICATIONS: should be placed in ziploc bags

Kaiser (sharps disposal and unwanted medications, including controlled substances)
97 San Marin Drive
(415) 899-756

Novato Community Hospital Lab (sharps disposal)
180 Rowland Way
(415) 209-1420

Novato Police Dept lobby (unwanted medications, including controlled substances)
909 Machin Ave.
(415) 897-4361
Mon-Thurs – 10am-5pm

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy (sharps disposal)
7514 Redwood Blvd.
(415) 892-3722

Rite-Aid (unwanted medications)
910 Diablo Avenue
898-1905

Safeway Pharmacy (sharps disposal)
5720 Nave Drive
(415) 881-9260

Novato HHW Facility (sharps disposal by appointment only)
7576 Redwood Blvd.
(415) 892-7344

CVS Pharmacy (unwanted medications)
2035 Novato Blvd.
(415) 897-9917

CVS Pharmacy (unwanted medications)
1707 Grant Avenue
(415) 897-417

Visit RxSafeMarin for more information about safe storage/disposal of used and expired medication. RxSafe Marin is a broad-based community coalition dedicated to reducing harm from prescription drug abuse.

For More Information: Call HHW hotline at (415) 892-7344 or visit The Marin County Environmental Health Website

Used Motor Oil Recycling

Recycle Your Oil in Four Easy Steps

Drain. From your car, truck, boat or garden equipment. Don't spill any.
Contain. Put used motor oil in a sturdy, unbreakable container with a tight fitting lid.
Don't Mix. Contaminated oil cannot be recycled and is very expensive to dispose of.
Recycle at one of the locations listed below. Don't forget to recycle the filter too.

CA Certified Collection Centers offer 40 cents per gallon for used oil.

Novato Used Oil Collection Centers

Novato Recycling Center
Novato Recycling Center is not currently accepting used motor oil.

Household Hazardous Facility
Make an appointment to dispose of your used motor oil at the Household Hazardous Waste Center.
Note that the container you bring the oil in cannot be returned. Call: (415) 892-7344 for exact hours of operation and quantities accepted

Oil Changer
Used oil & oil filters
CA Certified Center
133 Vintage Way
(415) 897-0134
Mon-Sun: 9:00am – 5:00pm

O'Reilly's Auto Parts
Used oil only. No filters.
CA Certified Center
1400 So. Novato Blvd.
(415) 897-5338
Mon-Sat: 7:30am – 9:00pm
Sun: 8:00am – 8:00pm

One Gallon of Used Motor Oil Can Pollute a Million Gallons Of Drinking Water!

If you change your own motor oil, make sure you always recycle

It's California law. Dumping used motor oil is illegal and carries a hefty fine.
Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
Used motor oil is slow to degrade.
Used motor oil in the water is toxic to fish and other aquatic life.

Did you know? If all the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers were recycled, it would provide enough motor oil for more than 50 million cars each year.

Interesting Re-Refined Oil Facts

Used motor oil from cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, farm equipment and lawnmowers can be recycled and re-refined.
2.5 quarts of re-refined lubricating oil can be produced from one gallon of used motor oil.
Re-refining oil is energy efficient – less energy is required to produce one gallon of re-refined oil than to produce base stock oil from crude.

NOTE: Much of the information in this section is derived from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CalRecycle. For more information please go to: www.calrecycle.ca.gov/UsedOil/Recycle.htm

How to Recycle and Reuse Almost Anything

Visit Zero Waste Marin for Additional Recycling and Zero Waste Resources

Hands holding a miniature earth with a recycle symbol on it.

Didn't Find What You Are Looking For?

Call the HHW HOTLINE: (415) 892-7344.