Real Estate NewsDispose of Household Wastes Safely
I was listening to the radio on the way to work the other day when I heard my municipality urging homeowners not to put hazardous wastes out for regular trash collection.
It"s hard to believe that people still put old motor oil and gallons of leftover oil-based paint in the trash. But they do.
Each year, most municipalities schedule times and drop-off points for hazardous wastes. A lot of homeowners consider it a waste of time, since it is easier to “hide” the materials in the garbage.
Over the years, I"ve seen people dump used motor oil into storm drains or down the basement sink. Unfortunately, the oil is not removed in the wastewater-treatment process, and the chemicals in it -- lead, benzene, cadmium and arsenic -- tend to be consumed by fish and humans alike.
Even properly treated water can contain levels of contaminants well below the federal danger point. Some, like lead, can be more harmful to children than adults, even in levels below federal minimum, and can enter the water as it makes contact with lead-soldered pipe joints.
You can have your water tested for lead and purchase a whole-house filter, installed where the water line enters the house, to remove it. To be safe, run the water in the tap for 30 seconds to two minutes; that will usually bring in fresh water from the mains.
What about the storm drains?
Rain and melting snow pick up pollutants from the streets and sidewalks and wash them into the drains and eventually to the streams and rivers. So we have to find ways to reducing the amount of pollution that finds its way into the drains.
Oil and transmission fluids can leak onto the pavement from badly maintained cars. Enough of it will do you in, whether you get it in a glass or in your Dover sole dinner. You can store old oil in a leak-proof container, such as a plastic laundry-detergent bottle. Don"t mix it with other chemicals such as antifreeze, which can be dangerous. Then find out where you can safely dispose of it.
What is considered a hazardous waste?
Well, we can start with solvent-based paints and stains, oil- or alcohol-based; paint thinner; varnish; paint stripper; and paintbrush cleaners. Latex paint is water-based and not considered hazardous. However, you might want to dispose of the containers in the metal recycling receptacle and the leftover paint in the regular trash, so use cat litter to sop up the unused latex paint and then clean the cans as best you can.
If you get those containers clean, why throw them away? Use them for storage in the workshop.
Also falling into the hazardous category are pesticides, chemical fertilizers, swimming-pool chemicals, and the propane cylinders used for gas grills.
If you regularly exchange empty cylinders for full ones, you"ll save money and will always have enough propane available for cooking. The rusty containers should probably be brought to hazardous-waste drop-off sites, since they might leak.
How to test for leaks? Take soapy water and apply it with a paintbrush to the areas where you"ve made the connections, as well as along the welding lines. If the soapy water bubbles, you"ve got a leak.
Cleaning solvents are considered hazardous wastes, as are fire extinguishers, aerosol cans, bathroom and tile cleaners, toilet-bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, and drain cleaners.
Kerosene and gasoline are fairly obvious. Mothballs and stain and spot removers are less obvious.Also on the hazardous list are antifreeze, lead-acid batteries, auto-body repair products such as Bondo, brake fluid, and degreasers.
Some batteries are, some are not.
For example, D, C, AA, AAA, and 9-volt household batteries are not considered hazardous, while rechargeable computer and cell-phone batteries and button-cell batteries used for hearing aids, watches, and calculators are.
Other no-nos: asbestos; artists" paints; and photographic chemicals.
Another thing you should put in the refuse bin is lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a restricted-use pesticide that has been employed as a preservative for wood used in outdoor applications such as decks, fences, picnic tables, playground equipment and landscaping.
CCA and other chemical preservatives are forced deep into the cellular structure of the wood in a closed cylinder under pressure. The chemicals act as a barrier to termites, and take as long as 40 years to decay, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Treated wood should never be burned in open fires, stoves, fireplaces or residential boilers. All sawdust and construction debris should be cleaned up and disposed of after construction.