When most people hear of hazardous or toxic waste, they think of big oil spills or dumps of waste from big businesses. Very few think of their homes. Yet much of the hazardous waste going into our lands and waters is coming from our homes.

Many of our cleaning products can be hazardous to the environment if improperly used or discarded. Some of the more common products we use that are potentially hazardous include:

Bleach

Disinfectant

Window Cleaner

Drain Cleaner

Over Cleaner

Furniture Polish

Spot Remover

Nail Polish Remover

Hair Spray

Car Polish

Engine Degreaser

Mothballs

Bug Spray

Flea Powder

Turpentine

Oil Based Paint

Oil/Antifreeze

Shoe Polish

When we finish with these, the containers or remaining residue should not be dumped into our trash, down the sink or toilet or into storm drains. Containers and any remaining residue should be kept separate and disposed of properly. Some will need to be taken to a hazardous waste disposal collection site for transportation and proper disposal in a hazardous waste landfill. These landfills, specifically designed for hazardous waste, usually have a double liner and other safety precautions to keep the chemicals from seeping into the ground and contaminating water systems and plant life.

In addition to proper disposal of hazardous waste, we need to consider using alternative materials that are not toxic. Some substitutions include:

Air Freshener - Use baking soda, dish of hot vinegar or flowers

Ant Control - Sprinkle cream of tartar or boric acid in ant’s path

Bleach - Mix baking soda and water

Chemical Fertilizers - Use compost material

Detergents - Choose soaps without TSP or other phosphates or use washing soda like borax

Drain Openers - Pour boiling water down the drain every week

Flea Repellent - Place eucalyptus seeds and leaves around the animal’s sleeping area

Floor Cleaner - Use a soap and water or borax and water mixture

Furniture Polish - Mix 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts vegetable oil or use a soft cloth and mayonnaise

General Cleaners (All Purpose) - Combine three tablespoons washing soda (borax) in one quart water or baking soda with small amount of water

Glass Cleaner - Use lemon juice and dry with soft cloth or ½ cup vinegar in one quart of water and dry with newspapers

Oven Cleaner - Sprinkle salt on spills when hot, then scrub or mix 3 tablespoons of washing soda with one quart of warm water

Paint - Use water based paint

Scouring Powder - Rub with steel wool or a damp cloth dipped in baking soda

Snail/Slug Bait - Place a shallow pan with beer in infested area or collect under overturned clay pots

Although we will probably never stop using some hazardous materials, we can educate ourselves to use them more wisely and dispose of them correctly to protect our future. Hazardous waste can and should be used to our advantage.

To teach about an issue, you need to know the basic facts about it. Quick and Dirty Fact Sheets were created by the Environmental Education Fellow Project to give teachers a quick background on waste management issues. They are written to give a basic understanding of the issue and do not include all information available on the topic. For in depth study of one of these issues, we suggest you check out the many materials available at your local library or contact the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality at (804) 698-4442.