WHAT WASTE

 

In 1982 offickils in Al*uerque, New Mexico detemined that local residents were generating 1. 6 million pounds of hazardous wasteand were &anping 90% of it into sewer systems, garbage, or the ground.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Most Americans donÕt know how to dispose of household hazardous wastes properly. Some of us, for example, innocently dump toxics down the drain or into the sewer systemwhich might be the worst possible way to get rid of them, since wastewater treatment plants aren't designed to handle hazardous materials, and the result can be serious water contamination.

 

Disposing of them in landfills doesn't work, either; hazardous wastes dumped into a landfill can seep into the groundwater, run off into surface water, or pollute the air.

 

Since there are so many hazardous products in useand since they can have such a lethal impact on the environmenties important for us to learn what products we have, how to store diem, and what to do when were done with them.

 

DID YOU KNOW

 

 

Hazardous wastes often found around homes include: Paints and paint thinners, car batteries, oven and drain cleaners, mothballs, floor and furniture polish, brake or transmission fluid, antifreeze, rug and upholstery cleaners, pesticides, and furniture strippers. Even products used to clean toilets are considered hazardous.

 

People seem to have little idea when they're dealing with hazardous wastes. According to Environmental Hazards Management: "It has been estimated that in an average city of 100,000 residents, 3.75 tons of toilet bowl cleaner, 13.75 tons of liquid household cleaners, and 3.44 tons of motor oil are discharged into city drains each month."

 

How do you figure out wh a hazardous waste and what isn't? Use available reference materials. Recommended: HazardDus Wastes fim Homes. Cost is $4.25 from Enterprise for Education, 1320A 3rd St., Suite 202, Santa Monica, CA 90401.


 

SIMPLE THINGS TO DO Store hazardous materials properly: 0 Keep them in their original containers. Don't take the chance that someone might mistake and misuse them.

 

¥ Make sure labels are securely fixed to containers.

 

¥ Keep them in a cool, dry place‑‑out of the reach of children.

 

¥ If the original container leaks, put the whole thing in a larger container ... and don't forget to mark it.

 

Try to reduce the amount of hazardous products you use: 0 Buy exactly what you need. Remember. the more you buy, the more you have to dispose of If you've got extra (e.g., paint), share it with neighbors, friends and family. Try to use it up.

 

Use safer substitutes whenever possible.

 

Dispose of it properly:

 

Recycle whenever possible. Used motor oil, car batteries, paint thinners, and some solvents can be refined and reused. Local civic groups can help you identify recycling programs.

 

Municipal incineration is a way of dealing with some hazardous wastes. Check with local authorities to see what they accept. Never use incinerators in your home; they don't work.

 

Find a licensed contractor or recycling agency. (Look in the yellow pages.) If there's none in your area: call the local wastewater treatment plant for info on disposing of liquid waste, the local sanitation department for info on disposing of solid wastes.

 

Participate in a local professional collection program. Many communities do not yet provide this kind of service. If there's none in your community, contact local civic leaders and officials with suggestions for a program. Many of the best collection programs in the country today began with one concerned citizen.

 

RESOURCES;

Water Pollution Control Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexan~

dria, VA 223141994, (703) 6842438. CaU or unite for dieir House­

hold Hazardous Waste Chart.

 

Call the EPA hodine(800)4249346to find out who to contact in your state about household hazardous waste pickup.