Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste Agawam MA

Did you ever stop to think that in your quest for a clean, shiny home, that all the waxing, polishing, and painting could one day potentially harm your great-grandchildren? Many of those products you are using are considered hazardous, and should be treated accordingly. No, this doesn’t mean that you should stop cleaning your house for the sake of the kids, but it does mean we should all be aware of the potential impacts of our actions.

What is Household Hazardous Waste?

You likely have some idea that products you use around the house can harm the environment. However, do you really know just how much of what you use is considered hazardous? Take a look at this sample list of household products considered hazardous:

• Aerosol cans
• Insect repellent
• Chemical cleaners
• Some furniture polishes
• Chemical lawn fertilizers
• Weed or insect killer
• Paint brush cleaners/solvents
• Antifreeze
• Car batteries
• Propane cylinders
• Swimming pool chemicals
• BBQ and camping fuel
• Gasoline
• Used motor oil
• Used transmission fluid
• Leftover pain medication

When stored and used properly, most of these products are not harmful to the environment. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that US households generate 1.6 million tons of hazardous waste per year—most of it from products that haven’t been used up and are thrown away. The disturbing fact is that a large percentage of hazardous household waste ends up in landfills, or just being poured down a drain.

What NOT to Do with Hazardous Waste

Before we go into proper disposal of hazardous waste, let’s talk a little about what NOT to do with it, since for many of us—truth be told—taking the easy approach might be our first inclination.

Don’t put them out for garbage collection. Collected garbage is taken to a landfill that isn’t designed to handle hazardous wastes. The waste can leak into ground water and find its way back into drinking water or wells.

Don’t dump them down sewers, drains, or into open bodies of water. Sewers take wastewater to water treatment plants. Most of these plants utilize bacteria to neutralize the wastewater before putting it back into rivers or streams. Bacteria don’t have any impact on the hazardous chemicals in the water so they are dumped directly back into someone’s potential drinking water supply.

Don’t bury hazardous chemicals. They could leach out into the soil and contaminate the soil or groundwater.

Don’t burn them. Burning hazardous waste pollutes the air with potentially toxic fumes, and could even cause an explosion.

The Right Way to Dispose of Hazardous Waste

Not surprisingly, your options for dealing with hazardous household waste are based on the three R’s of the environment—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Since we are dealing with hazardous waste, there is a fourth one to add to the mix—remove responsibly.

Reduce

Read and compare product labels. If a less toxic product is available, use it.

Buy only the quantities you need. Buying a smaller-sized package may cost a few cents more per ounce, but you won’t have to worry about what to do with the leftover product.

Water it down. Got just a small amount left in that shampoo bottle? Shampoos and soaps can be thinned with water and used until they’re completely gone, before you toss that plastic bottle in the recycling bin.

Use a metal snake to clean out your drain instead of a chemical drain cleaner. The snake is reusable and non-polluting—and some say it works better.

Try natural cleaning products, such as baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar for low-toxicity alternatives.

Reuse

Share your leftovers with someone. If you have more of a product than you need, check to see if a neighbor or friend could use it. For example, your neighbor might be interested in some of your leftover fence paint so your gates will match. Pesticides and fertilizers are also good items to split with others.

Contact a local community theater group to find out if they are in need of your extra paint for their props and scenery.

Don’t be hasty—some things might be worth holding onto. Did you know you could reuse paintbrush cleaner? Just store the used cleaner in a safe place for a week or so. The paint solids will sink to the bottom and the clear paint brush cleaner can be poured off and reused.

Recycle

Recycle used motor oil, transmission fluid, and car batteries. If you do maintenance on your car, check with local garages to see if they will take your used motor oil for recycling. Some communities have programs for curbside recycling of motor oils, fluids, and batteries. Check out what is available in your hometown.

Remove Responsibly

If, after all your efforts, you still have some material left around the house, you should get rid of it—responsibly. Read and follow any information on the product label that tells you how to safely dispose of it.

Many communities have initiated special collection days or established hazardous waste collection sites for the safe disposal of hazardous household waste. Store your waste until your collection day and then put it out as requested. If your area has a drop-off site, transport the material carefully to the site for safe, professional disposal. Most community dumps have a collection site and specific protocols for hazardous household materials.

Getting rid of your household hazardous waste safely requires a little thought and effort. However, there is a big upside to making that effort: The environment, your neighbors, and most of all, your great-grand kids will all thank you.

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