Reviewed September 21, 2026 against City and County sources. Confirm hours before you drive.
- 1Read the label. Caution, Warning, Danger, Poison, Toxic, Flammable, or Corrosive means HHW — not trash.
- 2Keep products in original containers. Transport them upright in the trunk or truck bed, not on a passenger seat.
- 3City of San Diego: book a free appointment at the HHW Transfer Facility, 5161 Convoy St. Bring photo ID or a recent bill as proof of residency.
- 4Do not hand chemicals to a junk hauler. Fred’s will take the non-hazardous pile after you pull HHW out.
City HHW Transfer Facility
The City of San Diego Environmental Services Department runs the Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility at the Miramar Landfill entrance, 5161 Convoy Street, 92111. City residents drop off leftover household products free of charge by appointment. Current posted hours are Wednesday and Saturday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., except holidays — hours have changed before, so confirm when you book. Use Get It Done / sandiego.gov/hhw or call 858-694-7000 (weekdays 6:30 a.m.–5 p.m.). Bring proof of City residency. Staff ask you to stay in the vehicle and keep materials in the trunk or bed for a quick handoff.
Accepted HHW includes leftover unused products labeled toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive: paints, household cleaners, motor oil, batteries, pesticides, and mercury devices. The facility generally takes a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit (that is the contents, not the empty bucket size). Containers larger than 5 gallons are not accepted. Not accepted: swollen or reacting batteries, business or contractor waste, treated wood, appliances, asbestos, and most compressed-gas cylinders other than propane and fire extinguishers. The HHW window also does not take electronic waste — screens go to the Recycling Center next door.
County, South Bay, and junk removal
Unincorporated residents use the County HHW program at sdhhw.org or 1-877-713-2784. A limited door-to-door HHW pickup exists for eligible elderly (65+) or disabled unincorporated residents. Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, and some unincorporated south-county households can use the South Bay Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (no appointment on that site — confirm on the city page). Coronado and other cities publish their own collection rules.
City collection rules ban HHW from every household cart. It is illegal and a fire risk in a packer truck. The landfill randomly inspects incoming loads and pulls tens of thousands of pounds of hazardous material off the trash deck each year.
Fred’s Junk Removal does not haul household hazardous waste, asbestos, or medical waste. That is not a courtesy — it is the same rule the City posts. We will still empty the garage around the chemical shelf. Pull the HHW, book the City or County drop-off, and text a photo of the remaining junk.
Official sources
Fred’s does not haul this material. Use the official drop-off above. We will still take the rest of the pile — text a photo of the non-hazardous junk.
