What is Household Hazardous Waste?

It is commonly thought the leading polluters when it comes to hazardous waste are big commercial and industrial corporations.  However, with more than 50,000 chemical products on the market and more than 31 million inhabitants in Canada, it is obvious residents play a much greater role than we may at first realize.  It is estimated a single household will produce between 20 and 40 litres of hazardous waste every year.  This includes such materials as paint and paint thinner, automobile lubricants, and other fluids, household batteries, and aerosol sprays.  Even household cleaners can pollute water and waterways if not disposed of properly.

Hazardous waste products should clearly bear the words of “Danger“; “Poison“; “Caution“; and “Warning“. These products should also be labeled with one of the following symbols: Toxic/Poisonous, Flammable, Corrosive or Reactive.

TOXIC

Toxic

Material that is poisonous to you, your children and your pets.  For example: Rat poison, bleach, pesticides, cleaning fluids, disinfectants, mothballs, rust paints and medication.

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Corrosive

Substances that eat or wear away many materials. For example: battery acid, oven cleaner, drain cleaner and batter

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Reactive

These materials may react violently when exposed to heat or other substances.  They may also be toxic to humans or other living things.

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Flammable

These materials will burn under certain conditions.  They may also be toxic to humans or other living things.

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Disposal of HHW

Do not dispose of your Hazardous Waste by…

Putting it down the drain:

  • Sewage treatment plants do not treat most HHW put down the drain.  Those which are treated, are only treated by chance since the system was not constructed for this purpose.  As a result, household hazardous waste ends up in rivers and lakes, contaminating our drinking water.

  • Septic systems are prone to failure if household hazardous waste is disposed of in them.  People on septic systems need to be very careful of what they dispose of in their system since tile beds discharges can pollute neighboring soil and groundwater wells.

  • Household hazardous waste put down the drain corrodes the plumbing system and affects sewage treatment equipment.

Putting it in the garbage:

  • Local landfills are not designed to handle HHW.  This waste further contaminates landfill leachate which may eventually migrate off site, polluting soil and groundwater.

  • Chemicals from HHW can also react in garbage trucks leading to fire or damaging equipment.

Burning it in your wood stove:

  • Burning HHW is also problematic because it contains hazardous components.  These hazardous components will add to air pollution and fallout of toxic substances onto land and water.

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How to dispose of HHW

Household hazardous waste collections:

  • Household Hazardous Waste collections occur during the Spring and Falls.  The dates of the collections will be announced at a later time.


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Alternatives to Using HHW’s

Cleaning Products

  • Use baking soda as a non-abrasive scouring powder.

  • Use vinegar and water for windows and smooth surfaces.

  • For gleaming wood furniture, use 1 Tbsp. carnauba wax mixed with 2 cups mineral oil, or dissolve 1 Tbsp. lemon oil with 2 cups mineral oil.

  • Boil cinnamon and cloves in water on stove for “potpourri” air freshener.

  • Clean upholstery and carpet stains immediately with cold water or soda water.

  • Open drains clear with rinses of boiling water twice a week.

Lawn and Garden

  • Use peat moss, manure, or fish meal instead of chemical fertilizers.

  • Start a compost pile.

  • Leave grass clippings on the lawn or add them to the compost.

  • Use organic gardening methods.

  • Pull weeds instead of using chemicals.

  • Cover the garden in the fall with plastic to discourage weed germination.

Paints and Solvents

  • Use water-based paints whenever possible; they don’t require thinners or solvents.

  • Use leftover paint as primer.

  • Share leftover paint with others.

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