Ten Toxic Wastes Homeowners Rarely Realize Require Special Disposal

Environmental Blog

Some waste products are obviously hazardous. The hot tub chemicals left over from last summer, the half-empty can of drain cleaner under the sink, and the car battery in your garage are all plainly hazardous and should be disposed of in a legal and prudent manner.

However, a variety of seemingly innocuous substances and items lurking in your house also require special treatment. Make sure you avoid stiff penalties and stay on the right side of the law by treating the following substances as hazardous.

1. Digital Cameras – Digital cameras are considered electronic waste. Electronic wastes commonly contain a number of heavy metals and other hazardous wastes, so they must be disposed of properly. Similarly, computers, DVD players, smart phones, and most other modern electronic items must be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility. 
2. Pesticides and Herbicides – Designed specifically to kill a targeted selection of species, pesticides and herbicides can cause widespread environmental harm if not properly handled, stored, and discarded.
3. Fireworks – Fireworks are not only potentially explosive, they may contain a variety of chemicals that can pollute the local environment if not properly disposed.
4. Windshield Wiper Fluid – Many windshield wiper fluids contain methanol and detergents, which can cause damage to the local environment.
5. Smoke Detectors – Few people know that smoke detectors actually contain a small amount of radioactive material. Although smoke detectors are safe to use in your home, they can cause environmental problems if placed in a landfill.
6. Caulk – Although new caulk products are largely safe and not subject to hazardous waste protocols, old caulks may contain chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
7. Medications – Some medications will pass through standard waste treatment practices, ultimately finding their way into the water cycle or the food chain, where they can have disastrous consequences.
8. Unknown Substances – This primarily occurs when people purchase a new home and find a collection of half-filled jars or buckets in the garage. Unless you are positive you know what these substances are, you should treat them as though they are hazardous.
9. Pet Sprays – Designed to kill or repel fleas, ticks and other biting bugs, many pet sprays contain potent insecticides, which can wreak environmental havoc if not disposed of properly.
10. Mothballs – Mothballs are not only foul-smelling, they actually contain a toxic chemical called naphthalene.

As always, it is wise to err on the side of caution, and solicit professional hazardous waste disposal advice if you are unsure of the proper disposal methods for anything you need to discard. 

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16 December 2016