TEX*A*Syst Slide Training Series: Household Hazardous Waste
Waste materials are considered hazardous when they are ignitable, toxic, corrosive, or explosive.
To reduce the risk of contamination to the environment, ground water, and other natural resources, look for ways you can reduce the amount of waste you and your family generate, explore ways to reuse products, and become involved in recycling as much waste as you can.
Triple-rinse or pressure rinse pesticide containers and store them until they can be properly disposed of at a State of Texas-sponsored pesticide container recycling event.
It is illegal in Texas to drain oil onto the ground during changing operations. Further, used motor oil should not be used on land for dust suppression or to kill unwanted weeds.
Used motor oil should not be poured down storm drains. Such oil can be carried to surface water where it can pollute water supplies as well as pose a serious threat to plant and animal life.
When changing oil yourself, always collect the used oil into a pan or other container so that the oil can be carried to a community oil recycling center or to a commercial oil recycling center.
Filters should also be taken to a community or commercial recycling center for recycling. In Texas, it is illegal to throw oil filters away in the trash where they will end up in landfills.
Store all chemicals in clearly labeled containers, keep reactive chemicals separate, and make sure the storage area is well ventilated and free of flames. Also, dike storage areas to prevent spills from escaping the storage area when the volume of stored products exceeds 10 gal.
Store flammable chemicals and batteries away from direct sunlight.
The wellhouse is not the place to store any materials, but especially not household chemicals, solvents, pesticides or their containers, motor oils or fuels, or other hazardous materials. Spills from materials stored in the wellhouse can gain direct access to ground water.
Credits
Home Page: http://waterhome.tamu.edu