Properly dispose of household hazardous waste.

The average home can accumulate as much as 100 pounds of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) in the basement and garage and in storage closets. What is HHW? Paints, heavy duty cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients, all the stuff that accumulates under sinks, in utility closets, basements, garages and sheds. The problem with keeping HHW for long is many of these products off gas carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can sneak into the living spaces of the house posing a risk to those inside. There is also a heightened danger that a child or pet might be poisoned or harmed. Problems also occur if household hazardous waste is not properly disposed. One spilled oil change can contaminate a million gallons of fresh water after it washes down your driveway and into storm drains.

Follow these suggestions to safely rid your home of and reduce your future exposure to Household Hazardous Waste:

* Collect all your HHW from under the sink, storage closets and sheds, as well as the basement and garage and safely dispose of it. Many communities in the United States offer a variety of options for conveniently and safely managing HHW. Check with your community’s Sanitation Department or earth911.com to find out where in your town you can recycle or safely dispose HHW.

* Recycle used motor oil at a dealership, oil change specialist or repair shop.

* Antifreeze made of ethylene glycol may be sweet smelling but is lethal. Best bet is to let a mechanic change your antifreeze and handle general car maintenance needs, as most have access to recyclers of antifreeze and oil filters that consumers don’t.

* Conventional varieties of fertilizers can cause algae blooms that threaten fish and other aquatic life. Replace them with certified organic brands. To avoid runoff, use fertilizers sparingly.

* Exposure to household pesticides is linked to asthma, cancer and neurological damage. Properly dispose of pesticides as instructed by your sanitation department and substitute least toxic alternatives. Click here to find out how to get rid of ants and other pests without using harmful products.

* In the market today there are many alternative household products that don’t contain hazardous ingredients. Use Label Lookup to find cleaning products and paints that are safer and better for the environment.

Removing HHWs from your house costs nothing other than time.