Discarding of Hazardous Household Wastes

Every homeowner should be responsible enough to devise proper disposal methods for threatening wastes that have accumulated inside his home. Materials like gas, paints, thinners, pesticides, batteries, etc. are corrosive, poisonous and in some cases, explosive. These kinds of wastes should not be thrown in the trash, dumped down the drain, thrown on the ground, spilled in the gutter, canals and other forms of waterways. When disposes of recklessly, these potentially hazardous materials can contaminate ground water, cause pollution and affect even plants and animals. So be more careful with your wastes. Here are some tips:

• Increase the use of “green” (environment friendly) consumer products.
  

• Use biodegradable products whenever possible and use more natural problem solvers like baking soda which can smother a grease fire, enhance a bleach’s effectiveness or unclog a drain when used with distilled white vinegar and boiling water.
  

• If hazardous materials must be used, be prudent and purchase only as much as you need to complete the job. Avoid storing such materials in the house.
  

• Instead of storing hazardous materials, dispose leftovers by sharing it with neighbors who might have some use for them.

• Or you may also donate your leftover materials to a civic group or to your local barangay. Excess pesticides or fertilizer for example, can be passed on to your local public school for use in their garden. Excess thinners or paints can be donated to your barangay captain who can use them for their beautification projects.

• If you should really store these materials, then always make sure that each one is properly labeled, securely sealed and kept in dry, cool places. Never, ever mix chemicals.