Household Waste Management Routes of exposure

Toxins can be ingested by eating or drinking hazardous
substances or contaminated food and water.

Toxins can be inhaled in the form of gases, vapors, and
sprays.

Toxins can be absorbed through skin contact with
hazardous substances. Hazardous products containing
corrosives or irritants will injure the skin and then be
slowly absorbed into the body tissues and bloodstream.
Some hazardous chemicals can be absorbed through skin
contact without damaging the skin.

Consumer Tips

Before you buy a product...

Avoid aerosol products. Aerosol disperses the
substance in tiny droplets than can be inhaled deeply
into the lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream. In
addition, aerosol cans may become explosive bombs when
heated.

Once it's in your home, use it safely...

Read all labels carefully before using hazardous
products. Be aware of their uses and dangers.

Use the proper safety equipment when working with
hazardous chemicals.

Leave products in their original container with the
label that clearly identifies the contents. Never put
hazardous products in food or beverage containers.

Do not mix products unless directed to do so by
label directions. This can cause explosive or poisonous
chemical reactions. Even different brands of the same
product can contain incompatible ingredients.

Use only what is needed for a job. Twice as much
doesn't mean twice the results. Follow label directions.

Guidelines For Safe Disposal

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS GUIDE IS INTENDED FOR
USE BY HOUSEHOLDS ONLY. ANY BUSINESS WHICH USES THIS
DISPOSAL INFORMATION MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW.

To avoid unintentional pollution of our health and
environment, hazardous wastes from homes must be disposed
of properly. Recommendations for proper disposal will
depend upon both the particular type of waste and the
waste disposal options available in your community. Local
ordinances pertaining to disposal may vary. For example,
landfill owners have the right to decide what they will
and will not accept for disposal. As a general rule,
liquids containing hazardous substances (paint for
example) are discouraged in landfills as they create
hazardous leachate which may contaminate the groundwater.
If in doubt, check with your local officials for what is
appropriate in your community.

Use It Up:
When products are fully used up as intended there is
no hazardous waste to dispose of. If you only need a small
amount of paint, pesticide, or other hazardous product,
check with friends, relatives, or neighbors to see if they
have any excess they are trying to use up. Be a wise
consumer. Buy only the amount you need and look for safer
alternatives whenever possible.

Throw It In The Trash:
When it is recommended that a waste be thrown into
the trash, it means the final destination is the landfill.
No other dumping, burning, or burying of hazardous waste
is safe or legal. Trash disposal of hazardous materials
which are flammable, explosive/reactive, corrosive/
caustic, radioactive, or toxic can cause health risks to
waste handlers and an environmental hazard if toxicants
leach from the landfill into the groundwater. Be very
careful about what you throw away and if you have any
doubts, make sure that your waste handler knows the
substance is in there and be certain it is securely
wrapped.

Objects that can puncture skin, such as hypodermic
needles, broken glass, and metal shards, are known as a
"sharps." Sharps should be placed in a rigid, puncture-
resistant container. Seal the container with heavy tape
and place in the trash. Large breakable items, such as
fluorescent light bulbs, should be placed alongside your
trash container. These actions will help trash haulers
avoid injury.

Hazardous wastes which are acceptable at some landfills:

Empty Aerosol Cans
Crystallized Oven Cleaner
Autobody Repair Products
Shoe Polish
Fertilizer without pesticides Empty, triple-rinsed
pesticide containers

If solidified, these products may also be acceptable:
Paints
Solvent-Based Polishes
Adhesives and Epoxies
Solvent-Based Cleaners Thinners
Nail Polish

Flush It Down The Drain With Plenty Of Water:
Some household hazardous wastes can be flushed down the
drain (the toilet is recommended) with plenty of water.
This recommendation is given when the hazardous waste is
neutralized by water or when the municipal or sanitary
sewage system is able to remove the toxins or render them
harmless. If you use a septic system or lagoon, it is
preferable to give hazardous waste acceptable for flushing
to a friend who is on a sanitary sewage treatment system.
Heavy concentrations of certain chemicals in a septic tank
can slow down or destroy the microorganisms which make the
system work properly.

When flushing hazardous waste down the drain, please
take the following precautions:

1. If you have any doubts, call your local wastewater
treatment plant.

2. Never pour any chemicals down a basement drain or storm
sewer; these lead directly into the waterways.

3. Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the area
where you are flushing the waste.

4. Avoid disposal of chemical wastes in food preparation
areas.

5. Never mix chemicals together either while pour or when
they are in the stool or sink. Wait at least two to three
hours between flushing ammonia and flushing bleach.

6. Wear gloves and goggles when disposing of wastes to
avoid eye and skin contact. Pour slowly and carefully to
avoid splashing.

7. Flush wastes during the working day so that waste will
be carried quickly through the system and will not be left
in the sewer system overnight.

8. Flush wastes using a large volume of water.

9. Rinse the empty container with water before placing in
the trash.

This information comes from the Guide to Hazardous
Products Around the Home, part of the HouseHold Hazardous
Waste Project in Missouri.

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