| The household hazardous wastes in and around your home can affect your family and pets and can be toxic to fish and wildlife. If disposed of improperly, an average Georgia household generates an estimated 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year. That's a total of 62 million pounds- enough to fill 1,550 tractors every year!
Preventing the generation of leftovers is the best way to solve the problem. Share the tips in this website with your friends to help them prevent household hazardous products from becoming wastes and potential pollutants.
Keeping Pests Out of the Home with Fewer Pesticides Using Pesticides Safely
- Learn about pests and pest management at home.
- Read labels and use as directed
- Store pesticides in covered containers
- Have weeds, disease or insects properly identified before applying a pesticide. See your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent for more information. (Click here to locate your local agent.)
PAINT
- Use latex paint instead of oil-based paint. This also eliminates the need for paint thinner.
- When painting a large area, buy a little less than you think you will need. Once the job is well underway, you will have a better idea of how much more is required. This way you can plan to have enough for touch ups, but avoid gallons of leftover paint.
- Instead of buying methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or xylene for stripping paint, do as much as possible with sandpaper and buy citrus oil stripper if needed.
- Paint/stain/varnish/sealer: Use it, find someone who will or take it to a collection site (if available). As a last resort, make it into a solid by mixing it with equal parts cat box litter and dispose of in the trash.
- When preparing your house for painting, collect paint chips and dispose of them in the trash. If left on the ground, they may wash into a storm drain and be carried to a nearby stream.
Did you know Georgia households waste approximately four million gallons of paint each year?
BATTERIES & MERCURY CONTAINING PRODUCTS
- Use rechargeable batteries instead of alkaline disposables. Recycle rechargeable batteries at the sites listed on 1-800-8BATTERY.
- Buy digital thermometers instead of mercury thermometers. Replace a mercury thermostat with a programmable, digital thermostat.
OTHER TIPS
- Purchase non-hazardous or the least hazardous products for the job. As a general rule, a product with "CAUTION" on the label will be less hazardous than a product labeled "WARNING." The most potentially hazardous product is labeled "DANGER" or "POISON."
- Don't be tempted by a "buy one get one free" deal. It will probably result in having to manage twice as much hazardous waste.
THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY WAYS TO REDUCE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES:
- Think Prevention First!
- Then, Recycle and Dispose of Wastes Properly!
For more information on HAZARDOUS WASTES, a list of recycling sites and local contacts call 1-800-CLEANUP or go to www.cleanup.org. |
