Why Are They Hazardous?
Household hazardous wastes are considered hazardous because they fit into one
or more of the following categories:
•
Toxic: Poisonous are lethal when ingested, touched, or inhaled—even
in small quantities.
• Flammable: Ignites easily.
• Corrosive: Eats away materials and living tissue by chemical action.
• Reactive: Creates an explosion or produces deadly vapors (e.g., bleach
mixed
with ammonia-based cleaners).
Before buying a product, read the label. Signal words can serve as a guide
to the purchases you make. With pesticides, DANGER means highly toxic, WARNING
means
moderately toxic, and CAUTION means slightly toxic. With household products,
POISON means highly toxic, DANGER means extremely flammable or corrosive
or highly toxic, WARNING or CAUTION means less toxic.
What Problems Can Occur?
Improper handling or disposal of products containing hazardous ingredients
can result in serious accidents to people and animals, who can be seriously
harmed
by drinking, eating, touching, or breathing household hazardous wastes.
• Refuse workers and landfill workers can be injured by chemical splashes
or poisonous
fumes caused by mixed or concentrated household hazardous wastes.
• Firefighters can be injured by these household hazardous wastes when
responding
to a fire.
• The environment can be seriously damaged when groundwater used for drinking
or
irrigation is contaminated with household hazardous waste products that have
been poured onto or have seeped into the ground.
• Bacteria needed to break down sewer and septic tank wastes can be destroyed
by
untreated household hazardous wastes.
How Do I Avoid Accidents?
Never leave household hazardous products or wastes within reach of children
or pets. When possible, buy products with less harmful ingredients (read
the labels).
When using a product, read and follow the label directions, never mix it
with other products, and use it up entirely. Do not dispose of household
hazardous
wastes in the trash, on the ground, or in storm or sewer drains. Do not remove
product labels, and do not remove products from their original containers.
How Do I Properly Manage Household Hazardous Waste?
Reduce by purchasing only the amount you need.
Reuse the products by donating unused portions to friends or community organizations.
Recycle leftover household hazardous products that are recyclable and dispose
of the others safely by participating in your local household hazardous waste
collection program. Contact your city or county’s environmental health,
solid waste, or public works department for information regarding which wastes
can be recycled in your area.
How Do I Get More Information?
Contact your local environmental health program/agency to learn about household
hazardous waste collection programs in your area.
For additional copies of this fact sheet, contact the Integrated Waste Management
Board’s Publications Clearinghouse at (800) CA-WASTE (in California),
or our Public Affairs Office at (916) 341-6308.
Disposal Options
Certain types of HHW (household hazardous waste) have the potential to cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets, and present hazards to children and pets if left around the house. Federal law allows disposal of HHW in the trash. However, many communities have collection programs for HHW to reduce the potential harm posed by these chemicals. EPA encourages participation in these HHW collection programs rather than discarding the HHW in the trash. Call your local environmental, health, or solid waste agency for the time and location of your HHW collection program. Also, read product labels for disposal directions to reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking, mixing with other chemicals, or posing other hazards on the way to a disposal facility. Even empty containers of HHW can pose hazards because of the residual chemicals that might remain.
Benefits of Proper HHW Management
*Reduction and recycling of HHW conserves resources and energy that would be expended in the production of more products.
*Reuse of hazardous household products can save money and reduce the need for generating hazardous substances.
*Proper disposal prevents pollution that could endanger human health and the environment.
Reduction at Home
Consider reducing your purchase of products that contain hazardous ingredients. Learn about the use of alternative methods or products-without hazardous ingredients-for some common household needs.
To avoid the potential risks associated with household hazardous wastes, it is important that people always monitor the use, storage, and disposal of products with potentially hazardous substances in their homes. Below are some tips for individuals to follow in their own homes:
- Use and store products containing hazardous substances carefully to prevent any accidents at home. Never store hazardous products in food containers; keep them in their original containers and never remove labels. Corroding containers, however, require special handling. Call your local hazardous materials official or fire department for instructions.
- When leftovers remain, never mix HHW with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode, and contaminated HHW might become unrecyclable.
- Remember to follow any instructions for use and disposal provided on product labels.
- Call your local environmental, health, or solid waste agency for instructions on proper use and disposal and to learn about local HHW drop off programs and upcoming collection days.
