Types of
Household Hazardous Wastes
Household
Cleaning Products: aerosols,
air fresheners, bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners,
oven cleaners, aluminum cleaner, spot remover,
dyes, furniture polish, rug cleaners, wood preservatives Automotive
Products: lead-acid
batteries, anti-freeze, automatic transmission
fluid, brake fluid, fuel additives, gasoline Paints
and Solvents: acetone,
wood preservatives, varnishes and lacquers, paints,
paint and varnish removers, paint thinner Pesticides: insecticides,
herbicides, rodenticides, fungicides, germicides, miticides,
insect repellents Other Products: pool
chemicals, ammunition, dry cell and disc batteries,
airplane glue, photography chemicals, septic tank cleaners,
some glues and adhesives
Categories
of Hazardous Wastes
TOXIC Poisonous; may cause death,
cancer, or birth defects if swallowed, absorbed through
the skin or inhaled herbicides, ant and roach
killers, silver polishes, certain medicines, antifreeze,
rose dust, rock salt, plant food, flea powders CORROSIVE Able to decompose common materials
such as steel; may cause burns to people or animals automotive battery acid, oven
cleaners, pool acid, cooper/metal cleaners, some bleaches,
drain cleaners, some rust removers REACTIVE Reacts spontaneously with
air or water; explodes when dropped; gives off toxic gases ammunition, home chemistry
sets IGNITABLE
Will burn or explode under
certain conditions at almost any temperature; floor polishes,
lighter fluid, WD-40, paint solvents, nail polish remover,
gasoline and other fuels.
RADIOACTIVE Emits
radiation spontaneously; some smoke detectors (amount
is too small to be hazardous
if used correctly) What Should
You Do?
- Identify Them
- Store Safely
- Use Less Toxic Alternatives
- Buy Only What You Need
- Use Up Entirely
- Recycle or Take to Collection
Site
HHW Identification
AUTO PRODUCTS
| CHEMICAL
PRODUCTS |
HAZARDOUS
INGREDIENTS |
HAZARD
PRODUCTS |
| Antifreeze |
Ethylene
Glycol |
Toxic |
| Transmission
Fluids |
Hydrocarbons,
Mineral oils |
Flammable
toxic |
| Brake Fluids |
Glycol
ethers, Heavy Metals |
Flammable
toxic |
| Used
oils |
Hydrocarbons,
Heavy Metals |
Flammable
toxic |
| Batteries |
Sulfuric
acid, Lead |
Corrosive
toxic |
HOUSE PRODUCTS |
| Silver Polishes |
Acidified thiourea, Sulfuric acid |
Corrosive toxic |
| Oven Cleaners |
Potassium or sodium hydroxide, Ammonia |
Corrosive toxic |
| Toilet Cleaners |
Muriatic or Oxalic Acid hydroquinone,
Sodium sulfite, Ferrocyanide |
Corrosive toxic irritant |
| Disinfectants |
Diethylene or Methylene glycol,
Sodium hypochlorite |
Corrosive toxic |
| Drain Cleaners |
Sodium or Potassium hydroxide, Sodium
hypochlorite, Hydrochloric acid, Petroleum distillates |
Corrosive toxic |
| Rug & Upholstery Cleaners |
Naphthalene, Perchloroethylene,
Oxalic acid, Diethylene glycol |
Corrosive toxic irritant |
| Floor & Furniture Polish |
Diethylene glycol
Petroleum distillates,
Nitrobenzene
|
Flammable toxic |
| Bleach Cleaners |
Sodium or Potassium hydroxide,
Hydrogen
peroxide, Sodium or Calcium hypochlorite
|
Corrosive toxic |
| Mothballs |
Naphthalene, Paradichlorobenzene |
Toxic |
| Pool Chemicals |
Muriatic acid, Sodiumhypochlorite,
algicide |
Corrosive toxic |
| Ammonia-based Cleaners |
Ammonia, Ethanol |
Corrosive toxic irritant |
| Abrasive Cleaners or Powders |
Trisodiumphosphate, Ammonia, Ethanol |
Corrosive toxic irritant |
PESTICIDES |
| Enamel or Oil Based Paints |
Pigments, Ethylene, Aliphatic hydrocarbons,
Mineral Spirits |
Flammable Toxic |
| Latex or Water |
Resins, Glycol ethers, Pigments,
Phenyl mercuric acetate |
Toxic |
| Rush Paints |
Methylene chloride, Petroleum distillates,
toluene |
Flammable toxic |
| Thinners & Turpentine |
N-butyl alcohol, Acetone, Methyl
isobutyl ketone, Petroleum distillates |
Flammable toxic |
| Furniture Strippers |
Acetone, Methyl ethyl, ketone, Alcohols,
Xylene, Toluene, Methylene chloride |
Flammable toxic |
| Wood Preservatives |
Chlorinated phenols, Copper or zinc
naphthenate, Creosote, Magnesium fluorosilicate |
Flammable toxic |
| Stains/Finishes |
Mineral spirits, Glycol ethers,
Ketones, Halogenated hydrocarbons, Naphtha |
Flammable toxic |
Safer Alternatives
Cleaning Products
| Oven Cleaners |
Baking
soda, water, steel wool pads |
| Toilet
Cleaners |
Toilet
brush and baking soda, mild detergent |
| Disinfectants |
1/4 to
1/2 cup borax in 1 gallon hot water |
| Drain Cleaner |
Plunger
or snake, flush with boiling water, 1/4 cup baking
soda and 2 oz. vinegar |
| Ammonia
and All-Purpose Cleaners |
For surfaces:
vinegar, salt and water mix for bathroom: baking
soda and water, also 1/2 cup borax, 1/2 teaspoon
liquid soap, 2 teaspoons TSP mineral available at
hardware stores) in 2 gallons of water (removes wax
build-up as well) |
| Rug and
Upholstery Cleaners |
sprinkle
baking soda on rug, then vacuum |
| Floor and
Furniture Polish |
1 part
lemon juice, and 2 parts olive or vegetable oil (shake
well before applying) |
| Laundry
Bleach |
1/2 cup
white vinegar, baking soda or borax |
| Mothballs |
cedar chips,
newspapers, lavender flowers |
| Metal Polishes |
or brass
and copper: lemon and salt or lemon and baking soda;
for chrome: apple cider vinegar; for silver: paste
of calcium carbonate (a powder available at drug
stores) and olive oil - allow to dry before polishing
with a soft white cloth |
Pesticides |
| Fungicides |
do not over water, keep areas clean
and dry |
| Botanical |
(Naturally insecticidal soap (such
as "Safer" brand) breaks down Derived) Pesticides
insect's protective coating |
| House Plant Insecticide |
Mixture of bar soap and water or
old dishwater spray on leaves then rinse |
| Flea Collars and Sprays |
herbal collar/ointment(eucalyptus
or rosemary) or brewer's yeast in pet's diet |
| Roach and Ant Killers |
for roaches: traps or baking soda
and powder sugar mix, for ants: chili powder to hinder
entry, boiling water on mounds |
| Rat and Mouse Poison |
Live traps, remove food supply |
Paints/Finishes |
| Enamel or Oil Based Paints |
Latex or water-based paint |
| Latex or Water-Based Paints |
limestone-based whitewash or case
in-based paints, recycled content paints |
| Stains/Finishes |
latex paint or natural earth pigment
finishes |
| |
|
Auto Products - Used
Oil
Alternatives for
antifreeze, transmission fluids, brake fluids, used motor
oil and batteries are unknown. Be responsible and recycle
these household hazardous wastes. Find a service station
or reclamation center that accepts
used oil and other auto wastes or call your local city/county
waste disposal department and inquire about a possible household
hazardous waste collection event in your area. |
