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Household
Hazardous Waste
Leftover
household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or
reactive ingredients are considered to be household hazardous waste.
Products such as oil paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides,
that contain potentially hazardous ingredients require special care
when you dispose of them.
Improper disposal
of household hazardous wastes can include pouring them down the
drain, on the ground, or putting them into storm sewers. These are
all illegal. We are also not allowed to put these products in our
regular trash. Improper disposal of these products can result in
polluting the environment and in many cases the improper disposal
poses a threat to human health. Also, certain types of household
hazardous waste products have the potential to cause physical injury
to sanitation workers.
Each year,
Americans use lots of hazardous household products, generating about
2 million tons! The average home can accumulate as much as 100 pounds
of household hazardous waste products in the basement and garage
and in storage closets.
To avoid the
potential risks associated with household hazardous wastes, please
remember to:
- Use and
store products containing hazardous materials carefully to prevent
any accidents at home. Never store hazardous products in food
containers. You should keep the products in their original containers
and keep the labels on.
- You should
never mix household hazardous wastes with other products or other
waste products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or
explode.
- Follow all
instructions for their proper use and disposal of left over product.
- Use up products
whenever possible.
- Buy only
what you need for a project.
- Try using
safer, less toxic products.
- Come to
our household hazardous waste collection to dispose of products
safely.
Obviously the
best way to avoid any risks with using household hazardous products
is not to use them. In some instances this can be done by using
alternative and safer products. However all products should be used
and stored with similar caution. Below is a list of conventional
products and their safer alternative product or method.
|
Product
Alternatives
|
| Drain
Cleaner |
Use a
plunger or plumber's snake |
| Oven Cleaner |
Clean
spills as soon as the oven cools using steel wool and baking
soda |
| Glass
Cleaner |
Mix 1
tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart of water. Spray
on and use newspaper to wipe dry. |
| Toilet
Bowl Cleaner |
Use a
toilet brush and baking soda or vinegar (this will not disinfect) |
| Furniture
Polish |
Mix 1
teaspoon of lemon juice in 1 pint of mineral or vegetable oil
and wipe furniture |
| Rug Deodorizer |
Deodorize
dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda, wait 15
minutes and vacuum |
| Plant
Sprays |
Wipe leaves
with mild soap and water, rinse. |
| Mothballs |
Use cedar
chips, lavender flowers, rosemary, mint or white peppercorns |
| Flea &
Tick Products |
Put brewer's
yeast or garlic in your pet's food; sprinkle fennel, rue, rosemary
or eucalyptus seeds or leaves around pet's sleeping area |
For more information,
please call the Board of Health office at (508)
660-7321.
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