Residential Pollution Prevention
What goes down your drain may end up in San Francisco Bay! Wastewater treatment removes many pollutants, but even trace amounts of some substances may be harmful to the Bay. The wisest solution is to prevent pollution from going down the drain in the first place.
Check our residential events & resources for information on where residents may dispose of potential Bay pollutants properly.
Read on to find out how to reduce sources of potential Bay pollutants and about EBMUD's pollution prevention partnerships.
Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Products
Triclosan and triclocarban are common ingredients in many everyday products such as hand soaps, dish and laundry soaps, toothpaste, mouthwash, cutting boards and countertops. These compounds can be washed down the drain, may persist through wastewater treatment, and have unknown effects on the environment. The American Medical Association reported there is "little evidence to support the use of antimicrobials in consumer products such as topical hand lotions and soaps." EBMUD has phased out purchases of triclosan and triclocarban-containing products for its facilities. For more information, see the Watershed Management Initiative's white paper on triclosan.
Automobiles
Washing cars at home can send soap, oil and other pollutants down storm drains, and on to San Francisco Bay. Instead, professional and "do it yourself" car wash facilities pre-treat their dirty water to remove most pollutants and then send the partially-treated wastewater to a treatment plant, such as EBMUD's wastewater treatment plant, to remove the remaining contaminants. Many drive-through commercial car wash facilities also reduce water waste by recycling rinse water. Remember, never pour any automotive fluids down any drain.
Cleaning Products
Some cleaning products contain toxic compounds that can be harmful to you and San Francisco Bay. For ideas on less-toxic alternatives, see our "Clean It" guide, which is a PDF file that can be viewed and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software.
You may also request a copy of the Clean It! guide by calling 510-287-1651.
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Cooking Fats, Oil and Grease
When flushed down the drain, cooking fats, oil and grease, or FOG, can block sewer lines, causing raw sewage to backup at home, into streets and the Bay. Keep your sewer lines FOG-free by scraping cooking fats into the garbage or into your food scrap recycling bin, where available – not down the drain! For tips, see our Residential Fats, Oil and Grease, a PDF file that can be viewed and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software. To keep FOG out of drains, you can order a free FOG scraper for scraping plates before washing! For large quantities of cooking oil or grease, keep it in a sealed container and pour it out at one of EBMUD's residential cooking oil and grease drop-off locations or view disposal options throughout the Bay Area. You can also view our FOG frequently asked questions. For information about your community sewers, contact your local sewer system agency.
Gardening Products
Fertilizers and pesticides, such as herbicides and insecticides, can be harmful to San Francisco Bay. Never pour them down the drain at home or in the street, and be careful to never apply them before a storm. Look for less-toxic alternatives. "Our Water, Our World" has made it easy with a handy pocket guide to less-toxic pesticides, or view our "Grow It!" guide, both of which are PDF files that can be viewed and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software.
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Medicine
For years, it was recommended to flush unwanted medicine down the drain to protect children and pets from accessing it, and to insure against illegal recovery of controlled substances. Today, there are better options for the Bay, such as ongoing collection programs throughout the Bay Area and EBMUD's collection sites.
Mercury
Because mercury is highly toxic to humans and wildlife, it's important to reduce the likelihood of mercury spills. Many household items contain mercury, such as mercury thermometers, thermostats, and washing machine switches. Take these items to an Alameda County or Contra Costa County household hazardous waste collection center or check other thermometer exchange sites and events. If you'd like to organize a thermometer exchange for your school, church or community organization, email cleanbay@ebmud.com.
Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials, or those materials that are as small as 1/100,000 the width of a human hair, hold promise for improved medical treatment, energy efficiency, pollution reduction and prevention, and stronger, lighter materials. However, there is currently little regulatory oversight for products using nanotechnology, little information on how nanomaterials behave in the environment, whether and how they degrade over time, and if they pose dangers to fish and wildlife. Hundreds of consumer products that may be washed down the drain now contain nanoscale ingredients. For instance, nanosilver and nanocopper clothing may release metals when they are washed, nanosilver is used in some washing machines, and myriad nanomaterials are now found in personal care products that eventually are washed off. EBMUD does not provide rebates on washing machines that use silver nanoparticles or ions.
For more information on nanomaterials, see the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Nanotechnology and the Environmental Protection Agency's Nanotechnology Fact Sheet.
Paint, Motor Oil and Other Household Hazardous Waste
Never pour unwanted household chemicals, such as paint thinner, pesticides, fertilizers or automotive fluids (new or used), down the drain. Take these items to an Alameda County or Contra Costa County household hazardous waste collection center.
Pollution Prevention Partnerships
Baykeeper Partnership
EBMUD and Baykeeper are working together to educate residents about proper disposal of fats, oil and grease (FOG).
Environmental Working Group Partnership
EBMUD and Environmental Working Group collaborated on Down the Drain, a study to identify sources of hormone-disrupting chemicals entering the EBMUD wastewater treatment plant.
Save The Bay Partnership
EBMUD and Save The Bay are collaborating in a Pollution Prevention Partnership, a public education campaign to make it easier for residents to protect San Francisco Bay from pollution.
For more information about EBMUD's residential pollution prevention program, please contact us online or call 510-287-1651.
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