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360-337-5777
REPORT
ILLEGAL DUMPING |
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360 337 5285
REPORT
TRASH BURNING |
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Healthy Homes, Healthy Families
How do I know if something is hazardous?
Household products are called hazardous if they can harm people or the
environment when not correctly used, stored, or disposed of. The average
family generally has more than 60 hazardous products in their home. Examples
include:
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Fluorescent bulbs and tubes |
Cleaning supplies |
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Automotive products |
Gardening products |
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Pool/spa supplies |
Hobby chemicals |
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Paint supplies |
Adhesives |
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Pest controls |
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How can you decide if a product is hazardous?
Read the label! Label reading is a good way to see the benefits and possible
dangers of a product. In the 1960’s the Federal Hazardous Substances Act was
signed into law in an effort to protect consumers from hazardous products.
You can learn more about the products in your home by visiting the
National Institutes of Health and National Library of Medicine
Household
Products Database.
In general:
- Poison means highly toxic
- Danger means extremely corrosive, flammable, reactive, or highly toxic.
- Warning and Caution appear on all hazardous substances. These signal words
are followed with precautionary statements such as “Keep out of reach of
children.” When used on non-pesticide labels, Warning and Caution are used
interchangeable; there is no distinction between hazard levels.
For pesticides:
- Poison and Danger have the same meanings as above
- Warning means moderately toxic; corrosive, flammable, or reactive.
- Caution means slightly toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive.
| Warning Word |
Toxicity |
Examples |
| Toxic/Poisonous |
Capable of causing injury or death through
ingestion, inhalation, or absorption |
Brake fluid, brass polish, fungicides,
insecticides, fertilizers, rat and mouse poison, antifreeze, medicines |
| Corrosive |
Can eat away materials and living tissue by
chemical action |
Oven, drain, and toilet cleaners, chlorine
bleach cleaners, scouring powders, some pool chemicals, car batteries,
silver polish |
| Reactive |
Can react with air, water, or other
substances and result in explosions or the production of toxic fumes |
Any products containing chlorine (bleach,
automatic dishwasher detergent or pool chemicals) can produce toxic gas
when mixed with other products |
Flammable/
Combustible |
Can present a significant fire hazard |
Paint thinners, some solvents, adhesives,
rubber cement, hair spray, furniture polishes |
What about my arts and crafts supplies? Arts
& Crafts Safety Guide
Click here for information on reducing
hazards in your home
Kitsap County Public Works
Solid Waste Division
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
solidwaste@co.kitsap.wa.us |
Updated:
December 03, 2010
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