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Household Hazardous Wastes

Posted: 2/10/12

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According to the EPA website, hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes. Although it may surprise you, many of these products could be sitting in your cabinets right now.

What to Look For

If the product you have says any of the following, you may have a hazardous waste on your hands: Flammable, Volatile, Toxic, Corrosive, Caustic, Reactive, Poison, Contains Phosphates, Eye Irritant, Harmful if Swallowed, or Do Not Mix. Once you identify a product with one of these warnings, make sure to take extra care when using it.

Some Common Household Hazardous Wastes

– Ammonia

– Drain cleaner

– Mothballs

– Oven cleaner

– Spot removers

– Window cleaner

– Aerosol spray

– Nail polish remover

– Toilet bowl cleaner

– Tub & tile cleaners

– Glues & cement

– Household batteries

– Paints & stains

– Brake fluid

– Lighter fluid

– Motor oil

– Transmission fluid

– Herbicides

– Insect repellents

– Pesticides

What Should You Do?

If you have a hazardous product, the best thing to do is make sure you use all of it for its intended purpose. If you can’t do that though, there are several organizations that sponsor hazardous waste drop-off events where you can bring your old products and be assured that they will be properly disposed of. The US EPA website is a good place to start finding a time and location that will work for you.

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