Cleaning Industry General Guidelines
The following tips will help ensure that future generations will be able to use and enjoy our most valuable
resource … water!
Planning Ahead:
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Determine where you are going to discharge wastewater before starting a new job. Never
discharge into a street, storm drain or other outdoor drain. These flow directly into nearby creeks.
Instead, call the Laguna Subregional Treatment Plant’s Industrial Waste Division at (707) 543-3369 to
determine if the job requires a wastewater discharge permit. Once you have received approval, you may
dispose of wastewater in one of the following ways:
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Into sanitary sewer drains at the job site, such as sinks, showers, bath tubs, toilets, floor drains and
cleanouts.
NOTE: When discharging wastewater, a mesh strainer should be used to prevent debris from clogging
drains. Also, be sure to obtain the property owner’s consent before dumping.
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Into sanitary sewer drains at your place of business.
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If the sanitary sewer inlets are not readily available, discharge wastewater to a landscaped, dirt or
gravel area (after obtaining the property owner’s consent).
NOTE: Be aware that wastewater may adversely affect landscaping. Wastewater should be directed onto
an area large enough to contain all the water. Check the slope and other physical characteristics of the
area to avoid runoff to the street, storm drain or other outside drain. If the soil is dry, wet it down before
discharging to help the wastewater soak into the ground. Do not dispose of wastewater containing highly
toxic liquids such as floor strippers in landscaping.
Employee/Customer Education:
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Educate your employees and customers about proper wastewater disposal. Remind them that
dumping wastewater down a storm drain is illegal, and make sure they have what they need to do the job
right. Storm drains (located in streets, lawn areas, walkways and other outdoor areas) collect water
outside homes and businesses and channel it directly to our creeks. Sanitary sewer drains (sinks, toilets,
bathtubs, showers, floor drains and cleanouts) typically collect water inside homes and businesses and
channel it to treatment plants.
Leaking Vehicles:
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Fix vehicle leaks. Automotive fluids leaked onto streets get washed down storm drains when it
rains.
Outdoor Jobs:
When cleaning surfaces outdoors such as parking lots and building exteriors:
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Avoid using soap. Even biodegradable soap is harmful to fish and other aquatic life. Before you
use soap, test to see whether hot water under pressure will do the job.
•
Use dry cleanup methods. In many cases you can eliminate the need to collect or divert
wastewater if you follow this two step process:
1.
Use absorbents (such as rags, absorbent pads, rice hull ash, cat litter, vermiculite or sand) to pick
up greasy or oily spills or small amounts of wastewater.
2.
Sweep or vacuum up saturated absorbents.
•
Collect wastewater. A simple and acceptable method for collecting wastewater on private property
requires only a drain plug, small sump pump, and a length of hose. If a small parking-lot-type catch basin
is available, remove the grate, plug the drain pipe (usually 2 to 10 inches in diameter), and place the
pump (attached to a garden hose) in the storm drain catch basin. As wastewater drains to this lowest spot,
pump to a sanitary sewer cleanout, landscaping, or a storage tank for later disposal to the sanitary sewer.
(For more wastewater collection methods and equipment, see the Cleaning Industry Q&A fact sheet in
this information packet.)
Waste Disposal:
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Dispose of waste properly. Recycle waste whenever possible. If you use hazardous products, take
the unused portions to a hazardous waste collection facility. See below for more details.
Hazardous Waste Disposal:
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Be sure to read cleaning product labels before disposing of wastewater. Follow use and disposal
instructions carefully.
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Call the Sonoma County EcoDesk at (707) 565-DESK for a list of approved hazardous waste
recyclers and disposal companies.
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If you are a small business, call the EcoDesk to find out how you can dispose of hazardous waste
at a local drop-off event (instead of hiring a hazardous waste hauler). In general, you must generate less
than 27 gallons or 220 pounds of a particular type of waste each month to qualify to use these
“Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator” (CESQG) programs.
Equipment and Supplies:
Special materials such as absorbent pads, storm drain plugs and seals, small sump pumps, and vacuum
booms are available from many vendors. See the Q&A fact sheet for cleaning industry trade associations
that can refer you to the right vendor for your needs.
Spill Prevention and Control:
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Before spills occur, train all employees in spill prevention and cleanup.
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Post a Spill Cleanup Plan inside the company vehicle
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Place spill cleanup materials in highly accessible locations inside the company vehicle
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Purchase and maintain the proper materials for containment and cleanup of different spills. These
include rags, absorbents (such as cat litter or rice hull ash), absorbent pads, oleophilic pads (absorb oil but
not water), drip pans, absorbent booms to contain spills, and storm drain covers.