A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT STARTS AT HOME
About this guide This guide was produced by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The MWRA is a public agency dedicated to providing reliable, cost-effective water and sewer services to 62 Massachusetts communities. In serving over 2.5 million residents and some 5,500 businesses, the MWRA is committed to ensuring affordable rates, protecting the environment, and modernizing infrastructure as the foundation for the region's economic vitality. As part of its environmental protection effort, the MWRA has designed a household hazardous waste program to inform ratepayers about the importance of reducing pollutants that travel from households and storm drains through the sewer system to local waterways. Know the Facts about Household Hazardous Waste In the United States average the average household contains fifteen pounds of hazardous products such as paints, toilet bowl cleaners, used motor oil and pesticides which can threaten human health and the environment. The improper use of household hazardous products, using too much or not following written precautions, can have relatively minor effects ranging from eye and throat irritations, headaches, dizziness and nausea, to more serious effects such as skin rashes, burns. liver or kidney damage, cancer, birth defects, and even death. Improper disposal of waste through household or storm drains can result in costly disruption to the wastewater system, serious injury to waste handlers and the contamination of local air and water resources. Once in these waters, used motor oil, antifreeze and other wastes - even small amounts - have a profound effect on the animals that live there. In many cases, using non-toxic alternatives and appropriate options will resolve many threats caused by household hazardous waste. Using alternatives to household chemicals will result in a safer home and environment at a fraction of the cost, since alternatives are nearly always less expensive. Properly using and disposing of the household chemicals you use will not only protect the environment, but will help save the cost of environmental clean-ups as well. For products where non-toxic alternatives are not available, read the label and try to choose products with a CAUTION label over those with WARNING or DANGER. To avoid the need for disposing of unwanted or unusable portions of a hazardous product, buy only as much as you need. This guide outlines some choices for safely using and disposing of household hazardous products and suggests the use of non-toxic alternatives whenever possible. Making the right choices will make a positive difference to our neighborhoods and our environment for generations to come. CLEANERS The Chemicals they Contain Cleaners do not contain one easily-identified chemical, but are often a mixture of complex, unnamed compounds. Some cleaners contain strong acids such as sulfuric acid (drain cleaners) or bases such as potassium hydroxide (oven cleaners). Others may contain petroleum distillates as grease cutters. The Danger to Human Health Cleaners can cause severe eye, skin, lung and nervous system damage and may also be poisonous if ingested. Specific dangers are hard to define because each cleaner is different. For example, many furniture polishes contain petroleum distillates which cause lung damage if inhaled. Chlorine bleaches are extremely reactive and should never be mixed with ammonia or acidic compounds such as drain or toilet bowl cleaners because potentially lethal fumes will be released. Many drain and oven cleaners are extremely corrosive and will cause damage to skin if contact occurs. The Threat to the Environment Cleaning products are more likely to enter the environment through everyday use via sewer and storm drains than as a result of improper disposal. Since the majority of ingredients in household cleaners break down rather quickly, most do not persist in the environment. Some ingredients, however, are slow to degrade and are found on the Environmental Protection Agency's list of hazardous substances. Detergents with phosphates should be avoided. In addition, some powder detergents contain heavy metals such as arsenic and zinc.
PAINTS AND SOLVENTS The chemicals they contain A solvent is a substance that dissolves another substance. Organic solvents are found in enamel and primer paints, stains and varnishes. Paints may also contain heavy metals. Other products containing organic solvents include laundry degreasers and home and auto parts cleaners which may contain perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene. The danger to human health Most organic solvents are poisonous if they are swallowed or if the vapors are inhaled in sufficient quantities. Most solvents can also be absorbed through the skin. Methylene chloride, used extensively in paint removers, can be particularly toxic to people with heart ailments. Other common toxics in solvents and paints include toluene, phenols, trichloroethane, perchloroethylene and petroleum distillates. These compounds can effect the respiratory and nervous system, as well as cause dizziness, cancer, birth defects and damage to organs. In addition to being toxic, oil-based paint products are combustible. The threat to the environment Used or unwanted solvents dumped down the sink, poured down a storm drain, tossed in the trash or poured on the ground often wind up in nearby rivers, streams or Boston Harbor where they can be toxic to aquatic life, even at low concentrations.
AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS The chemicals they contain Automotive products often contain hazardous organic compounds. Used motor oil and antifreeze also contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium that are picked up during use. The danger to human health Accidental ingestion of gasoline, antifreeze, motor oil or kerosene is very dangerous. Antifreeze is a poison that attracts children and animals because it has a sweet taste. Many pets have died after ingesting as little as 2 tsp. of antifreeze from puddles on the ground. A small splash of battery acid can burn through skin or, if splashed in the eye, can cause irritation or even blindness. Depending on the concentrations inhaled and the length of exposure, inhalation of gasoline can cause injury ranging from minor nose and throat irritation is to nervous system disorders and even death. The threat to the environment More than half of the six million gallons of used motor oil that do-it-yourself oil changers generate in Massachusetts each year ends up being poured on the ground, dumped down a sewer or storm drain or tossed in the trash. Used motor oil contains petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals which can contaminate drinking water supplies and food chains and cause physical damage to aquatic life. Used motor oil that is poured into a sewer can also limit MWRA's ability to use sludge as fertilizer. Throughout the U.S., improperly discarded automotive batteries release tons of lead and sulfuric acid into the environment each year.
PESTICIDES The chemicals they contain Pesticides contain chemicals designed to kill. In most cases, the actual pesticide in a product amounts to less than 10% of the contents. The rest are inert ingredients that are often more toxic than the active chemicals. Nonetheless, federal law allows manufacturers to keep the identity of inert ingredients hidden as trade secrets. The danger to human health Pesticides are poisons and may cause serious damage to skin, eyes, the nervous and respiratory systems and internal organs. Some pesticides are much more hazardous than others and sever illness or death may result when only a small amount has been ingested. The threat to the environment Pesticides from home use can enter the environment through direct disposal in trash or sewers, runoff from the land into storm drains or nearby streams, drifting of spray mists, evaporation into the atmosphere or accidental spills. Pesticides seldom kill or repel only the intended species, and often resist decomposition. They can build up in plants and soil and in the organisms that eat those plants. They can sometimes work their way up the food chain, becoming more and more concentrated each step of the way. This process, known as "bio-magnification," causes the highest concentrations of contaminants to occur in organisms at the top of the food chain - such as humans.
AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS The chemicals they contain Automotive products often contain hazardous organic compounds. Used motor oil and antifreeze also contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium that are picked up during use. The danger to human health Accidental ingestion of gasoline, antifreeze, motor oil or kerosene is very dangerous. Antifreeze is a poison that attracts children and animals because it has a sweet taste. Many pets have died after ingesting as little as 2 tsp. of antifreeze from puddles on the ground. A small splash of battery acid can burn through skin or, if splashed in the eye, can cause irritation or even blindness. Depending on the concentrations inhaled and the length of exposure, inhalation of gasoline can cause injury ranging from minor nose and throat irritations to nervous system disorders and even death. The threat to the environment More than half of the six million gallons of used motor oil that do-it-yourself oil changers generate in Massachusetts each year ends up being poured on the ground, dumped down a sewer or storm drain or tossed in the trash. Used motor oil contains petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals which can contaminate drinking water supplies and food chains and cause physical damage to aquatic life. Used motor oil that is poured into a sewer can also limit MWRA's ability to use sludge as fertilizer. Throughout the U.S., improperly discarded automotive batteries release tons of lead and sulfuric acid into the environment each year.
MISCELLANEOUS The chemicals they contain The miscellaneous items listed here involve a variety of different chemicals and perform different functions. Air fresheners may contain formaldehyde. Aerosol sprays produce mist particles that contain a high proportion of organic solvents. Pool acids are corrosive. Photographic chemicals may contain hydroquinone, which is corrosive, and silver, which is toxic to marine organisms. The danger to human health The organic solvents in aerosol sprays can be inhaled into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Because aerosols are kept in pressure in cans, they will explode if punctured or exposed to extreme heat. The corrosive element of pool chemicals may cause burns, can irritate skin, yes and the respiratory tract and may cause vomiting if ingested. Air fresheners work by deadening the nerves in your nose. They can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and skin. The threat to the environment Propellants used in some aerosols damage the earth's ozone layer. Solvents can be toxic to aquatic life, even at low concentration.
For more information For more information about hazardous waste disposal in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website: http://www.mass.gov/dep/ Revised 1992, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority |