CA Plumbing PrepC-36 License Exam Prep
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Trade Exam · Module 5

Disposal of Plumbing Materials

Lesson 10 of 10~25 minFree previewCurrent as of September 2026Leer en español

Old pipe, fixtures, water heaters, mercury thermostats, asbestos and leftover chemicals each leave a job a different way. This lesson sorts plumbing waste into recyclable scrap, universal waste, hazardous waste and ordinary construction debris using California DTSC, CalRecycle, Cal/OSHA and EPA sources, and covers what the plumbing code says about what may never go down a drain.

Key Takeaways

  • The person who decides to discard something is responsible for deciding whether it is hazardous waste (DTSC).
  • Scrap metal that meets the regulatory definition and is recycled is not managed as hazardous waste in California, but handle it so nothing hazardous is released (DTSC).
  • Mercury thermostats and other mercury devices are universal waste; they may not go in the trash or a landfill and should be kept intact (DTSC).
  • Water heaters are "major appliances" under California law; materials that require special handling must be removed by a Certified Appliance Recycler before the unit is crushed, shredded or otherwise processed (DTSC).
  • Refrigerant in heat pump equipment may be removed only by an EPA Section 608 certified technician, and intentional venting is prohibited (EPA).
  • Asbestos waste goes out in sealed, labeled, impermeable bags or closed containers (8 CCR 1529(l)(2)); asbestos work involving 100 square feet or more needs a C-22 or an asbestos-certified qualifier (B&P 7058.5).
  • Hazardous waste shipped off site generally travels on a manifest with a registered transporter, and every party signs and keeps a copy (DTSC).
  • CALGreen requires covered new construction, demolition and certain additions and alterations to recycle or salvage at least 65 percent of nonhazardous C&D debris (CalRecycle); nothing damaging may be poured into a drain (CPC 714.1).

Why This Matters

"Disposal of plumbing materials" is one of the five items CSLB lists under the Service, Repair, and Remodel section of the C-36 exam, and "environmental safety" is listed under Safety. On the job, the rules below keep toxic materials out of landfills and sewers, and keep your company out of enforcement trouble.

Who Decides What Is Hazardous

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) says the person who decides to discard something is generally responsible for determining whether it is a hazardous waste, based on the four characteristics of toxicity, reactivity, ignitability and corrosivity. On a service call, that is usually you. If you are not sure how to classify a material, your local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) or the DTSC Regulatory Assistance Office can help.

Sort job waste into four streams:

  1. Recyclable scrap metal.
  2. Universal waste.
  3. Other hazardous waste.
  4. Ordinary construction and demolition (C&D) debris.

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