Photo by Brandon Bankston / SXC
Household hazardous waste usually lurks under sinks and in basements and storage areas.
By Mindy Pennybacker
Next time you're on a cleaning and detoxifying frenzy, keep an eye out for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). It may sound dramatic, but just take a peek in the storage closet, basement, garage or under the sink. That old can of paint, paint thinner or finish, bottle of insecticide, weed killer or oven cleaner may contain toxins such as benzene, xylene, nervous-system damaging organophosphates, and lye. Add to that list: old batteries and burnt-out CFLs (which contain mercury), wood and metal polishes, glues, motor oil...you get the picture.
Even the empty cans, the Environmental Protection Agency warns, can be dangerous due to residual explosive or vaporizing contents. Mothballs also qualify as HHW because they emit either 1,4 dichlorobenzene, which attacks the nervous system and can cause dizziness, headaches and rashes, or naphthalene, which can produce nausea, jaundice and liver and kidney damage. When storing clothes or removing them from mothballs, do it in a well-ventilated place and take care not to inhale, warns the environmental toxicology site of the University of California, Davis.
How is one to safely dispose of HHW? Not in the regular trash as it can leach corrosive, toxic chemicals into landfills and ultimately our groundwater, or down the drain, where it can harm aquatic life and wash down to our beaches along with other storm water.
To learn how to responsibly get rid of HHW, call your municipal environmental, health or solid waste agency, or go to Earth911. There, if you type in the product and your zip code, you can find the nearest drop-off or recycling place for HHW, along with upcoming days when HHW, old electronics and other materials are accepted. Some businesses such as Home Depot and IKEA have recycle bins for CFLs.
Be sure to check out the EPA's full list of household products commonly containing hazardous ingredients.
Provided by Plenty - http://www.plentymag.com
Copyright ©2008Scripps Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.