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Most of what a household throws away goes in one of three carts. A smaller set of products cannot, because they can poison workers, start fires in collection trucks or leak into the Bay. Paint, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals, batteries, fluorescent tubes, propane cylinders and old medications all fall into this group. In Palo Alto they go to a single place: the city's Household Hazardous Waste Station on Embarcadero Way near the Baylands.
This guide follows the city's household hazardous waste page as published in October 2026. For the everyday carts, Clean Up Days and garbage rates, see our trash and recycling guide.
When and where
The Household Hazardous Waste Station, often shortened to HHW station, is at 2501 Embarcadero Way, Palo Alto. It keeps short hours:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Every Saturday | 9 to 11 a.m. |
| First Friday of each month | 3 to 5 p.m. |
Two hours a week does not leave much slack, so plan the trip and arrive with time to spare before closing. The first Friday session helps if your weekends are busy.
Holiday closures
The city lists these closure dates for the coming months:
- Saturday, November 28, 2026, after Thanksgiving
- Saturday, December 26, 2026
- Friday, January 1, 2027
- Saturday, January 2, 2027
Earlier in 2026 the station also closed on July 3 and 4. For other city holiday schedules, see our holiday closures guide.
Who can use it
The station serves Palo Alto residents. Bring proof of residency, such as a driver's license or vehicle registration with a Palo Alto address. There is no fee listed on the city's page for residents' household waste.
Businesses and nonprofits follow separate rules on a different city page, so do not bring work waste on a household trip. Residents of other cities should use their own county program. The city lists the Santa Clara County HHW Program at (408) 299-7300 and the San Mateo County program at (650) 655-6202, which helps neighbors in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto.
Limits and how to drop off
State law caps what you can carry without a hazardous waste hauler permit. The city cites Health and Safety Code section 25218.5.1. Each visit is limited to:
- 15 gallons or 125 pounds of household hazardous waste in total.
- Containers of 5 gallons or less.
You can make more than one trip if you have more. The drop-off itself is drive-through:
- Put all the hazardous items in your trunk and take everything else out.
- Drive in and stay in your vehicle.
- Staff take the items from your trunk.
Packing for the drive
The city suggests securing containers so they cannot tip. Put a leaking container inside a clean, unbroken container with a lid. Use a plastic bag to contain odors and cover carpet or upholstery. Keep products in their original containers with labels when you can, so staff know what they are handling. Never mix chemicals to save space.
What the station accepts
The city groups accepted items by where you would find them at home.
| Area | Accepted items |
|---|---|
| Garage and workshop | Latex and oil-based paint, aerosol cans with contents, paint thinners and solvents, propane, butane and MAPP cylinders, lubricants, helium party tanks |
| Automotive | Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, gasoline in a non-returnable container, brake cleaners and degreasers. Car batteries appear on some city lists but not others, so call (650) 496-5910 before bringing one. |
| Living space | Fluorescent tubes, bulbs and ballasts, LED bulbs, AAA, AA, C, D and 9-volt batteries, lithium and lithium-ion batteries, small electronics with embedded batteries, mercury thermometers, thermostats and switches |
| Kitchen and bathroom | Cleaners such as bleach, disinfectants, ammonia and carpet or window cleaner, cooking oil and grease in a non-returnable container, medications other than controlled substances, household needles in a rigid plastic container with a sealed lid |
| Garden and outdoors | Pesticides, fertilizers, pool chemicals |
| Miscellaneous | Fire extinguishers, nicotine-only e-cigarettes and vapes, road flares, wetted asbestos double-bagged in bags no larger than 3 by 3 by 3 feet (two bags maximum) |
A few items have easier routes. Empty aerosol cans go in the blue recycling cart. Non-PCB ballasts go in the blue cart too. Household batteries and used motor oil can also go to the curb on your Clean Up Day in the bags and containers GreenWaste provides. Lithium batteries, though, are never accepted at the curb. Car owners will find more on oil, batteries and tires in our car care guide.
What it does not accept
Some items are too dangerous or too specialized for the station. The city lists these, with pointers for several of them:
- Electronics without embedded batteries, such as TVs, monitors and microwaves. The city points to electronics retailers that take them back.
- Gas cylinders larger than 5 gallons or holding anything other than propane, butane, helium or MAPP.
- Radioactive, infectious or explosive waste and controlled substances.
- Ammunition. The city refers residents to the Santa Clara County Sheriff.
- Fireworks. Call the Palo Alto Fire Department at (650) 329-2184. Fireworks of every kind are illegal in Palo Alto, as our Fourth of July guide explains.
- Marine flares. The city refers residents to California State Parks.
- Pressure-treated wood, which falls under State Water Resources Control Board rules.
- Solar panels, which fall under the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
For continuous glucose monitor pods, radioactive exit signs and smoke detectors with batteries that cannot be removed, the city says to contact the manufacturer.
The free Reuse Zone
Not everything that arrives at the station is waste. Staff screen gently used products such as paint, cleaners and unused motor oil and set them out in the HHW Reuse Zone during station hours. Anyone can take up to five products per visit for free. Unlike the drop-off, the Reuse Zone does not require Palo Alto residency. It is worth a look before you buy a gallon of primer for a small job.
At-home pickup
Residents who cannot get to the station because of a physical limitation can ask for pickup at home. The process has three steps:
- Download the Physical Limitations Application from the city's page or call (650) 496-5910 to request a copy.
- Have a doctor sign to confirm the limitation.
- After approval, call (650) 329-2669 to schedule the pickup.
Older residents can find other city and nonprofit help in our resources for older adults.
Cutting down on hazardous waste
The cheapest disposal is the one you never need. Buy paint and chemicals in the amount a job needs. Choose rechargeable batteries for devices you use daily. Give leftover usable products to a neighbor or the Reuse Zone instead of storing them for years. Keep a small labeled bin in the garage for spent batteries and bulbs, then make one trip when it fills. In an earthquake, stored chemicals can spill and mix, which is another reason to keep the stockpile small. Our earthquake safety guide covers securing a garage.
Good to know
- Open every Saturday 9 to 11 a.m. and the first Friday of each month 3 to 5 p.m.
- Bring a driver's license or vehicle registration showing a Palo Alto address.
- Stay in your car. Staff unload your trunk.
- Limit: 15 gallons or 125 pounds per trip, containers of 5 gallons or less.
- Questions: (650) 496-5910 or [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
When is the Palo Alto hazardous waste station open?
The station at 2501 Embarcadero Way is open every Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. and the first Friday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. It closes on some holiday dates, including November 28, 2026, December 26, 2026 and January 1 and 2, 2027.
Where can I dispose of paint in Palo Alto?
Take latex and oil-based paint to the Household Hazardous Waste Station at 2501 Embarcadero Way during its open hours. Bring proof of Palo Alto residency. Each trip is limited to 15 gallons or 125 pounds, in containers of 5 gallons or less.
How do I get rid of lithium batteries in Palo Alto?
Lithium and lithium-ion batteries go only to the city's Household Hazardous Waste Station, never in a cart. The station also takes small electronics with embedded batteries and household batteries such as AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt.
What does the Palo Alto hazardous waste station not accept?
The city lists TVs, monitors and microwaves without embedded batteries, gas cylinders over 5 gallons, radioactive, infectious and explosive waste, controlled substances, marine flares, fireworks, ammunition and pressure-treated wood. Its page points to other agencies for several of these.
Can I get hazardous waste picked up at home in Palo Alto?
Residents with a physical limitation can apply for at-home pickup. Download the Physical Limitations Application or call (650) 496-5910 to request one, get a doctor's signature and, once approved, call (650) 329-2669 to schedule.