M T • VI E W SAN IT A RY D I S I Rl t1pdes I eontact Us I Directions/Hours 

MARTINEZ, CA • FOUNDED 1923 

Pollution Prevention 

Pollution prevention (sometimes called "P2j is an approach to environmental protection that 

focuses on eliminating or reducing pollution at its source. 

• Water Quality Excellence Award of Outstanding Public Outreach in Pollution Prevention 

• National P2 Week and MVSD P2 Billboard 

• Dr. Teng-Chung Wu and Mt. View Sanitary District 

• Proper Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste 

• Toilets Are Not Trash Cans 

• No Drugs Down the Drain 

• Stop the F.O.G. (Fats. Oils. and Grease) 

• Mt. View Sanitary District Newsletter 

• Source Control 

• Copper Pollution 

Water Quality Excellence Award of Outstanding Public Outreach in 

Pollution Prevention 

In 2006, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board presented Mt. View Sanitary District with the 

Water Quality Excellence Award of Outstanding Public Outreach in Pollution Prevention: 

• For leadership in developing an outstanding P2 educational program to educate children about 

marsh ecology, pollutants, how they enter the environment, and P2 alternatives for the home; 

• For implanting a highly collaborative program through standard science curricula continuously 

taught to over 1 ,500 third-fifth graders, county-wide each year; 

• For developing model educational references about marsh ecology and P2, thereby promoting P2 

awareness and long-term behavioral changes in future generations. 

National P2 week and MVSD P2 Billboard 

National Pollution Prevention (P2) Week is the third full week in September each year. P2 Week is 

an opportunity for individuals, schools, communities, industries and agencies to show case or share 
Ideas on how they reduce waste, become more efficient or reduce eneqy consumption. 

To promote pollution prevention, Mt. VIew sanitary District has celebrated national P2 Week with Its 

billboard program. Since 2000, MVSD has partnered with agendes like the Callfomla Department of 

Toxic Substances Control (DTSQ, the California Association of sanltaUan Agendes (CASA), Bay Ami 

Clean Water Agencies (BACWA), and many more to pmduce pollution prevention messages and 

visuals for this annual outreach effort. The billboard is located near the MVSD treatment plant 

along Interstate 680 in Martinez, one exit fmm the Benicia-Martinez Bri~e. The bridge connects 

Solana and Contra Costa counties, and has the third highest bridge traffic in the Bay Area. 

In April 2009, Callfomla Special Dlsbicts Association (CSDA) featured MVSD's P2 Billboard program In 

Its statewide magazine. The article Is titled "Small District with a Bl" Me=;8~." 

Past Billboard Designs 

2000 Billboard 

2002 Billboard 
2003 Billboard 

2004 Billboard 

2005 Billboard 
2006 Billboard 

2007 Billboard 

.2008 Billboard 
.2009 Billboard 

2010 American Wetlands Month Billboard 

Dr. TenJ.ChunJ Wu and Mt. VIew Sanitary District 
Dr. Wu Is widely regarded <15 the "Grandfather of Pollution Prevention" In the Golden State for his 

slgnHie<~nt efforts In the fields of wastewater pollution prevention and promotion of the use of 

treated wastewater for the enhancement of the environment. After 35 years of Regional Water 

Board service and retiring as a Division Chief. Dr. Wu chose to come to Mt. VIew sanitary District 

(MVSD) In zooz to continue to serve as an environmental ambassador. Dr. wu used MVSD as a 

model plant and a successful example to educate foreign dignitaries on global preservation of the 

environment. 

Dr. Wu retired from MVSD In Z006 after serving as the District's Technical services Director. During 

his lime at MVSD, Dr. Wu was a staunch supporter of pollution prevention efforts, wetland 

enhancements. and public outreach, both locally and internationally. In 2007, the Regional Water 

Board established the Dr. ren~une Wu pollutiOn pceyention Awan:l in memory of Dr. Teng-Chung 

Wu. lhis annual award recognizes Dr. Wlls dedication to improving water quality throughout this 

career and, in particular, his leadership in pollution prevention. 

MVSD Is proud to canyon Dr. Wlis legacy. 

Proper Disposal of Household Hazardous waste 

Batteries. fluorescent bulbs. mercul)"<ontalnlng devices like thermostats and thermometers. 

unwanted pesticides and fertilizers. paints and paint-related products. pool chemicals. household 

cleaning products. and automotive waste like used motor oil and antifreeze should be dropped off 

at local household hazardous waste collection facilities. 

Mt VIew sanitary District has teamed up with Central Contra Costa sanitary District (CCCSD) to 

provide household hazardous waste collection services for central Contra Costa count;y residents 
and small businesses. As a result of this partnership, recycling and collection services of household 

hazardous waste are free for our residents. 

For more information about the facility, directions, and hours of operation, click here or visit 

CCCSD's website. For a list of other recycling and collection facilities throughout the Bay Area, 

visit: www.Earth911.com. 

Toilets Are Not Trash Cans 

Toilets are not for diapers, cleaning wipes, baby wipes, personal wipes, fabric dryer sheets, feminine 

products, dental floss, rags, toys, cooking grease, expired cough medicine and cold pills. Disposable 

wipes, even flushable wipes, should not go down the drain. Even though some products are labeled 

as flushable, no materials, except toilet paper, are truly flushable. 

When inappropriate items are flushed down the toilet, they clog sewer pipes and create backups 

that cost time and money to clear. Our sewer systems are not designed to accommodate anything 

other than human waste. These types of products are not flushable and cause blockages which 

lead to overflows. Overflows require expensive emergency response from our crews and leads to 

environ menta I consequences. 

Repair and cleanup can also be pricey for homeowners. Calling a plumber to clear a backup can 

cost $200 or more. If the sewer lateral needs to be replaced, it can run upwards of $5,000. 

Furthermore, sewage that overflows in a home can contaminate carpet and walls. 

Please only flush human waste and toilet paper into your toilet. To know how to properly dispose 

of used medicine and medical sharps, see the following section of No Drugs Down the Drain. To 

find out what to do with cooking grease, see the section of Stop F.O.G. <Fats. Oils and Grease). 

No Drugs Down the Drain 
Mt. View Sanitary District is proud to participate in the Statewide Campaign for "No Drugs Down the 

Drain!" Cwww.NoDrugsDownTheDrain.org> Medicine flushed down the drain can end up in your 

local creeks, bays and the ocean. So while medicine is good for what ails you, it's important to 

dispose of leftover medication properly so it doesn't hurt the environment. 

Old Pills Piling Up? 

There are now nine drop-off locations in Central Contra Costa County to dispose of unwanted and 

expired pharmaceuticals. Flyer Is available. 

Contra Costa County Sheriffs Field Operations Building 

1980 Muir Road, Martinez 

(925) 313-2520 

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Sheriffs Substation 

2500 Alhambra Avenue, Martinez 

(925) 370-5331 

Walnut Creek City Hall 

1666 North Main Street, Walnut Creek 

(925) 943-5899 

City of Clayton Police Department 

6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton 

(925) 673-7350 

City of Martinez City Hall 

525 Henrietta Street, Martinez 

(925) 372-3500 
City of Pleasant Hill 

330 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill 

(925) 671-5270 

Town of Moraga Police Department 

32 Rheem Blvd •• Moraga 

(925) 888-7055 

City of Orinda City Hall 

22 Orinda Way. Orinda 

(925) 253-4200 

Expected to open soon: 

Town of Danville 

510 La Gonda Way, Danville 

(925) 314-3380 

IMPORTANT Drop-Off Instructions: 

• Do NOT dispose of syringes or needles with medications. 

• To ensure privacy, take medications out of their original containers and put them in a sealable 

plastic bag. 

• Please leave liquids in their original container and mark out personal information, and then place 

the bottle into a sealable plastic bag. 

Stop the F.O.G. (Fats, Oils, and Grease.) It's Choking our Sewers and 

Waterways 
(Artwork courtesy of Delta Diablo Sanitation District, Antioch") 

Only you can contain the horror. Underneath your home, an oozing menace lurks- the F.O.G. Part 

FATS, part OILS, and part GREASE, F.O.G. can pollute our waterways, choke our sewers and cause 

monstrous plumbing problems. 

F.O.G. causes blockages of drain and sewer lines the same way that greasy food causes blockage of 

the arteries in our bodies. When grease is poured down sinks, it can solidify and sticks to the 

insides of your sewer pipes. Over time pipes can decrease in diameter with the buildup of F.O.G. 

This can cause sewer backups into houses or onto streets. Running water- hot or cold or with soap 

- doesn't help! It will cool and harden in the sewer line. 

Sometimes F.O.G. is obvious, for example, cooking oil, lard, butter and margarine, shortening, bacon 

grease and meat fat trimmings. At other times, it is less apparent as in sauces and salad dressings. 

Don't pour cooking oil, grease or greasy food down the drain. Always trap F.O.G. in a sealed 

container and put it in the trash. Wipe away any residual grease or oil on dishes, pots or pans with 

a paper towel before washing them. 

Copper Pollution 

Copper is a commonly used metal in everyday items such as cars, electrical wiring and plumbing. 

While copper plumbing is almost always harmless, it is possible for copper to corrode and 

contaminate water. This can also happen when copper items are disposed of improperly and this 

harmful material makes its way to the wastewater system. Persistent sources of copper in 

wastewater comes from pools, spas and fountains treated with copper algaecides, copper 

containing pesticides and copper plumbing. 

After MVSD treats wastewater, the effluent is released into our system of marshes, where it can 

reenter into the water system. These marshes are home to a variety of organisms. At MVSD, we 

want to do everything we can to keep these organisms safe because they are vital to our ecosystem. 

This includes ensuring that our effluent does not become contaminated with copper. In fact, we are 

required by our National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to monitor copper 

levels in the effluent water. MVSD's treatment process removes approximately 85% of copper from 

wastewater before discharging to Moorhen Marsh. 

MVSD is also working to ensure that copper-containing waste items, such as old plumbing materials, 

are disposed of properly. These items should be disposed of at the Household Hazardous Waste 
Collection Facility. 

We will continue monitoring the amount of copper that is in our effluent to ensure that it does not 

reach harmful levels. However, we need your help to keep the environment free of copper 

contamination. Thank you for helping us by properly disposing of your copper waste items! We also 

recommend using copper-free algaecides and pesticides, and ask your plumbers to use best 

management practices when installing copper pipes. 

Learn more about Draining Pools & Spas