West County Resource Recovery

You cannot recycle light bulbs with mercury any time you can :(Specific times and days. And if wont fit your time you have to travel again and again.

I found this place in hunt for my go-​to East Bay recycler. the location is easy enough to find and surprisingly clean up front. but the lot is not clearly marked at all. I drove in and gravitated towards where there were actually people and signs. (none of them saying anything about cans, bottles, etc recycling) so finally I drove up to the home waste bay and a friendly fella waved me in and I asked him if they even do what I call «standard» recycling. he was kind enough to literally lead me via walking out the other end of the bay and point me directly towards the standard recycle section.
The standard — cans, glass and plastic is a small hut in the back with gates to be allowed access. Apparently they were on lunch when I first arrived but it was more waste for me to drive all the way back home and unpack my car then it was just to wait 25 minutes. So I waited. and waited. they were supposed to open at 1pm. So on the nose I got out of my car, walked around the car and knocked on the door. (keep in mind this entire time I’m waiting there are still people inside this little hut checking in and out large trucks and opening the gate for the large trucks.) after knocking on the door a guy answers and tells me that they took a late lunch and will be back at 115p… I waited until 120p and was about to get out of my car. and then I started seeing some movement. Finally. 130pm I’m able to drive in the gate and unload my things. The man didn’t apologize once for being tardy… and made me move my car so that another man could get by even though I was first! Then he processed that same man before me (they spoke the same language) even though I had waited almost an hour first in line.
They no longer accept wine and liquor bottles but they do allow you to just toss those into a bin if you don’t want to trek back home or to another recycle center with them…
Then you have to move your car a decent distance away and walk back to the hut you started at to redeem your ticket for your cash. You are waiting unshaded with the beating sun while someone behind a blacked out screen processes the paper and hands you back your money and license.
Long story short, I’m going somewhere else for further recycling where my time is valued and simple human etiquette is followed.

After driving by a million times and looking at the «Scrap Metal Recycling» sign, craning my neck each time (as much as I could while I was driving) to desperately try and see a sign that said «We take plastics and glass.» Having just recently moved into the Richmond area, I am new to having to hide my recycling in my garage and dispose of it myself.
I dreaded going all the way out to El Cerrito Recycling, I had exhausted my internet searches, and the only other option was to show up with my bottles and hope I could drop them off.
When you arrive, I suggest you don’t do it in a hurry. I was there at noon on a Tuesday so there was probably heavier traffic than usual. I looked around for a worker, but I couldn’t tell who worked there or not. Still looking confused, I grabbed an empty trash can for each of my items (brown/​green glass, clear glass, plastic, aluminum cans, household wastes/​batteries/​e-​waste), brought it to my car to fill it up, and stood in what looked like the line.
After about a 10 minute wait, I was next. Suddenly, the first word of English I’d heard came out of a very nice man in the building, who weighed my things and gave me a slip of paper. I took the slip to the receptionist to the left who gave me 6.50 in cash. I thought that was quite a lot for what I’d brought in (one back seat full of boxes of beer bottles and two bags of plastic bottles, basically).
I also had my household hazardous wastes/​e-​wastes and the man said they weren’t doing refunds for them at this time. There was a long line by this point, so I don’t know if it’s a time of day they refund those things, or if they go by how many people are waiting. I said I didn’t want a refund, so they let me leave the other stuff there.
All in all, I wish I would have freakin’ gone here sooner.

Today is «Black Friday», the day after Thanksgiving when all of the merchants hope you’ll begin your holiday shopping. Think «black ink» rather than «being in the red.»
At Casa Canine, we’re always been a bit different. Its our clean-​up day.
We took «stuff» to the Hazardous Waste facility on this Black Friday. Loaded the Caravan up with old microwaves, breadmakers, paint cans, and even a goodly sized bag of needles.
You will remember the diabetic dog Sam who received injections twice daily… these needles were hers. Honest engine!
The journey was an adventure but we enjoy creative ventures here at the Doglet house. FIrst of all… we arrived at the facility when they were closed for lunch. Shut down tighter than a barrel.
No problem. We parked the car in Point Richmond and strolled around through this quaint village looking for treasures to brighten our holiday house.(As an aside… I certainly hope merchants in other parts of the country are fairing better… I think we were the *only* shoppers in Point RIchmond on what should be a watershed shopping day.)
Returned to the Hazardous Waste site which had reopened its doors. Drove into its cavernous space where Hazmat suited workers relieved the car of its contents rapidly and for free. Well… I should say, *almost* all of its contents. They couldn’t take the needles unless they were safely packaged in red safety containers. So… they gave us two containers, and told us to pull over just outside the facility to put the needles into them.
We did. Two containers filled rapidly. We brought them into the facility filled to the brim. Asked for more containers. Two was all they could give us at one time. SO… we took the two, went outside the facility. Filled the containers and returned. Signed the disclaimer slip.
Repeated the process four more times. That would be about twelve containers in all. It took several hours until the last needle was safely sent into its red plastic tub.
At last, we had finished. SIgned all of the forms. Sam the dog would have been proud of our efforts on her behalf. Drove home… stopped at Point Isabel dogpark before driving up Central Ave to our house. It had been our intention to get a cuppa Joe (or mebbe a hot dog) at the SIt-​Stay Café. But… although there were lots of people and dogs about, the SIt-​Stay was closed for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Not to worry. We had a grand time… and the house looks surprising sharp without all of the junk in the garage or behind the kitchen door.
Strong recommend for this very valuable (and free) site. But do get your sharpies into containers *before * you arrive at their gates. And bring an ID… is for West Contra Costa residents only.
Happy Black Friday… now we’re ready to hit the mall. Sort of.

If you live in West Contra Costa County, this is the place to take your household hazardous waste. I’m talking about your old paint, household chemicals, batteries, flourescent lights and tubes, motor oil, cooking oil, and even your e-​waste and some medical waste as well. The place is a little confusing at first because you make a turn onto Pittsburg Avenue and it isn’t immediately clear where the place is. Just keep driving a 100 yards or so and it will be on your right. When you drive in, don’t go straight but rather make a left where a smallish sign says «drop-​off» (it’s a big building that you drive thru).
Put all of your hazardous waste into your trunk in advance. Just drive through the building and they’ll ask you to turn off your engine and initial a form (you’ll need to show proof such as a driver’s license or recent utility bill that you live in one of the counties served in West Contra Costa County). Your car will be swarmed by some guys in protective suits taking all of your stuff out of your trunk — so make sure that you don’t have anything in the trunk that you actually want to keep. Yes, they don’t want you to get out of your car. When they are done they’ll close the trunk and you’ll be on your merry way.
The facility has limited days and hours so check first. Generally they are opened Thursday and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (they close from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. for lunch) and they are opened the first Saturday of a month during those same hours.
Be careful of some limitations such as not carrying more than 125 pounds of hazardous waste in your car or not having more than 5 large pieces of electronics. I’ve done a couple of trips with a lot of old stereo equipment, old telephones, VCRs, a couple of small TVs and it went fine.
If you are doing any major cleanup or just need to get rid of your old electronics (and there are no free e-​waste events happening in your area), it’s worth a drive out to the Household Hazardous Waste facility. It’s free and you can get rid of your stuff in a safe manner.
Visit the site at