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Hazardous Substances Enforcement Team
The City of San Diego's Hazardous Substances Enforcement Team conducts random inspections of commercial and residential refuse loads entering the Miramar Landfill to ensure the loads contain only wastes that the landfill is permitted to accept. Unacceptable wastes include hazardous waste, infectious waste, liquid wastes, PCBs, radioactive waste, and universal waste. Inspections diverted approximately 44 tons of unacceptable waste from the Landfill in fiscal year 2023.
Businesses and residents with loads containing: contaminated soil, industrial solid waste (such as waste from sandblasting operations or other waste containing hazardous or potentially hazardous contaminants), non-friable asbestos or treated wood must obtain preapproval prior to disposal. To obtain preapproval, customers need to complete a Special Waste Disposal Request with required supporting documents. The Special Waste Disposal Request form and acceptance criteria can be accessed on the Special Waste Acceptance Information and Documents webpage.
Requests usually take 24 hours to process before the load can be scheduled for disposal. Manifest and special handling fees are listed in the Miramar Landfill Fee Schedule and Regulations.
Information Contacts and Resources
Special Waste Disposal Requests and related documents may be submitted electronically to Kirk Galarneau, Supervising Hazardous Materials Inspector at kgalarneau@sandiego.gov. Call 858-573-1415 for questions related to waste acceptance at the Miramar Landfill.
- For information on the disposal of business-generated hazardous wastes, contact the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality, Hazardous Materials Division at 858-505-6880 and for chemical emergencies call 911.
- For information on the disposal of household hazardous wastes such as paints, oils, thinner, polishes, pool chemicals, pesticides, etc., call our Customer Service Line at 858-694-7000.
- Common Hazardous Wastes NOT Accepted at Miramar Landfill - English and Spanish