What is Household Hazardous Waste? What Hazards Are Lurking Around Your House

Most people probably don't give hazardous waste a second thought, but hazardous waste is all around us, even in our homes. The term hazardous waste applies to any chemical that is dangerous to people, animals or the environment. This type of waste must be handled correctly, especially when disposing of it.

Many household products are considered hazardous waste, including lawn care products, insecticides, automobile products and indoor cleaners and paints. Unfortunately, products like these cause numerous poisoning accidents each year because homeowners don't realize their potentially toxicity. Dangerous products are labeled as toxic and will have directions on how to handle them. Many chemicals require sufficient ventilation so that fumes won't damage lung or throat tissue. When these products are all used up, or no longer needed, they should never been thrown in the trash. This can cause a potential problem in the landfill. Chemicals can leach out into the soil and then be washed into streams or creeks, thereby polluting the environment. There are neighborhood recycling or disposal centers around for the safe disposal of products like paint, oil and pesticides. Sometimes these companies offer pick up, but more likely you'll have to deliver the products yourself.

Even if it seems like a lot of trouble to take empty or partially used products to the recycling or disposal center, it's essential for everyone's safety. Don't ever pour chemicals or solutions down the drain or flush them down the toilet. This includes medications as well. If you do, they'll end up in the sewer system and while the sewage is treated at a plant, chemicals can create problems for the various systems at the plant. If the treatment plant is unable to completely eliminate the toxins from the waste stream, then when it's discharged into nearby water bodies, they chemicals will still end up in the environment. This is how mercury and other metals can end up in the streams and oceans, infecting fish that are then caught for human consumption.

A few of the more common household hazardous products are paints, silver polish, bleach, chlorine, insecticides, rat poison and motor oil. If you change the oil in your car, make sure you don't flush the oil or pour it down the stormwater drains on your street. Take the used oil to a recycling center. By practicing a bit of safety and using common sense, we can all do our part to help the environment and keep our homes safe.