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Why should you be concerned? What can you do? UVI Cooperative Extension Service Most people are generally aware of the hazards of com- monly used pesticides. How- ever, you may be less aware of the hazards that household chemicals may pose to yourself and the environment. Consider the variety of pro- ducts commonly used in house- holds and on farms: paints, solvents, oils, cleaners, wood preservatives, batteries, adhe- sives, and pesticides. Small amounts of common chemicals are often spilled, buried, dumped or flushed onto the ground or down the toilet. Some common, unsafe dispo- sal practices may not only threaten your drinking water, but also may be illegal. Proper use and disposal of household chemicals can re- duce risks to both human health and water quality. Your drinking water is least likely to be contaminated by hazardous chemicals if you use VI Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. products correctly and dispose of wastes at an approved dis- posal site. Proper disposal practices are essential to avoid contamination risks that could harm the water supplies and health of yourself and others. Use this worksheet to address questions you have answered Yes to or do not know the answer to in the Assessing Your Household Hazardous W a s t e M a n a g e - m e n t Practices section of your Home and Farm Water Quality Assessment. This worksheet will help you develop an Action Plan to establish practices that reduce the risks of contamination to your drinking water supply. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service ASSESSING YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES YES NO G G 1. Do you dispose of household products such as furniture polish, paints, stains, and cleaners and/or their containers on your property (including down the drain)? G G 2. Do you dispose of used petroleum products, anti- freeze, or batteries on your property? G G 3. Do you dispose of leftover or banned pesticides and/or pesticide containers on your property? G G 4. Are any of these hazardous products stored near your cistern, well and/or pump room, or accessible to children and/or pets? G G 5. Has it been longer than one (1) year since you reviewed or updated your emergency response plan (emergency phone numbers, escape routes, poisoning information)? If you have answered Yes or do not know the answer to any of these questions, refer to this factsheet for valuable information that will help you develop an Action Plan to reduce the risk of contamination to your drinking water supply and surrounding surface waters. 1. Do you dispose of household products such as furniture polish, paints, stains, and cleaners and/or their containers on your property? 2. Do you dispose of used petroleum products, antifreeze, or lead-acid batteries on your property? Household chemicals such as furniture polish, paints, stains, and drain cleaners can contaminate your drinking water supply. Some Virgin Islands residents have trash pits or burn barrels located on their property. Continual use of these trash pits/burn barrels over the years can lead to a build up of hazardous chemicals in a relatively small area. The potential for dangerous amounts of these chemicals to impact ground and surface waters increases significantly when they are concentrated in this manner. Some communities have household hazardous waste collection days. These are usually advertised. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Environmental Protection (DPNR-DEP) or Department of Public Works may have more information about household hazardous waste collections. Do not dispose of these materials on your property. It is illegal to dispose of used petroleum products, antifreeze and lead-acid batteries on private or public property, or to dump these products onto the ground or into sewers or drainage channels. It is also illegal to dispose of hazar- dous waste in Virgin Islands’ sanitary landfills. Busines- ses generating hazardous wastes must send these materials by an approved carrier to an EPA-approved facility for disposal. Used oil contains toxic chemicals, cancer-causing hydrocarbons, and heavy metals (lead, zinc, arsenic, chromium, cadmium) that are harmful to public health and the environment. Dumping used oil in storm drains, guts and on the ground pollutes our surface and ground water supplies. Used oil in the garbage seeps through the landfill into ground water, ponds and mangrove lagoons, and the sea. Used oil has been classified as a “special waste” under Virgin Islands law in order for the Depart- ment of Public Works’ (DPW) to conduct it’s Used Oil Collection Program. DPW will accept used oil from the public in sealed containers in quantities of five (5) gallons or less at the following locations: St. Croix: DPW facilities in Anna’s Hope, 9-4 weekdays, 10-4 Saturdays, 12-4 Sundays. St. John: DPW transfer station, Susannaberg, 8-5 weekdays, 8-12 weekends & holidays. St. Thomas: DPW Motor Pool, Subbase, 9-4 weekdays. DPW WILL NOT accept used oil mixed with anti-freeze, solvents, paint, paint thinner, carburetor, or parts cleaner. To find out how to dispose of these and other hazardous wastes, contact the DPW Division of Environmental Services or DPNR-DEP. Petroleum products and other chemicals should be properly stored until they can safely be disposed of. Proper storage includes a secured container on an impervious surface at least 150 feet from drinking water supplies and surface waters. 3. Do you dispose of leftover or banned pesticides and/or pesticide containers on your property? Pesticides and pesticide containers, including those used for yard care, gardens, and indoor plants, can contaminate drinking water if not properly used, stored and/or discarded. Keep all pesticides in a secured storage area or container with an impermeable surface (concrete, metal, heavy-duty plastic) at least 150 feet from your water supply system. Contact the V.I. Department of Agriculture or DPNR Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) for details on proper storage and disposal of all pesticides. Special attention should be used when dealing with pesticides classified as “restricted use.” Old, unused and banned pesticides and their containers should not be disposed of on your property. They should be stored in a safe place until a collection site is organized for proper disposal. Contact your local DPNR-DEP, UVI Cooperative Extension Service (CES), or Department of Agriculture for more information. 4. Are any of the hazardous products Previously mentioned stored near our water supply and/or pump room, and/or accessible to children and pets? FOR MORE INFORMATION This assessment does not cover all potential risks on your property that could impact the quality of your drinking water. It is designed to: create an awareness of potential risks to water quality on your property; provide voluntary solutions to reduce pollution risks; and develop an action plan to protect your drinking water supply. Individual areas and states may vary in requirements on minimum standards for water supply protection. Always check with your local offices listed in the reference section of each worksheet before making changes to your water supply system. There are other, more detailed, Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst programs available. If you have specific questions about protecting your drinking water, contact your local Extension Service Office, local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Office, or your local Soil and Water Conservation District Office. You may also contact the National Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst Office at B142 Steenbock Library, 550 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1293, Phone (608) 262-0024. This document was published by the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, Kwame Garcia, Director of Extension Programs. This document was developed by Julie Wright, Natural Resources Specialist, University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the National Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*syst Program, and is patterned in a large part after the National Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst Program document “Protecting Your Water Through A Farm & Home Assessment” and the North Dakota Farm*A*Syst Program developed by North Dakota Extension Service. Contents of this publication constitute public property. No endorsement of products or firms is intended, nor is criticism implied of those not mentioned. Issued by the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance of the acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on non-discrimination regarding race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability or gender preference. The Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst Program is funded nationally by: USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Services, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The program supports voluntary pollution prevention to protect surface and ground water through a partnership with governmental agencies and the private sector. 5. Has it been longer than one year since you updated your emergency response plan (i.e. emergency phone numbers, escape routes, etc.)? Each year, hundreds of children and pets are injured or poisoned because of improperly stored hazardous house- hold products. All household hazardous products and wastes need to be secured until they can be used or properly discarded. Household hazardous products and wastes should be stored away from your water supply and pump room (preferably in a detached storage shed). Make sure materials are stored in an area with secondary containment (a concrete pad and curb or some other impermeable material) and that there is no access for children or animals. Educate your family on the dangers of these products and on emergency procedures in case of spills or poisonings. You may also want to start using less toxic household products. For more information, contact UVI-CES. All families should have an updated emergency response plan to handle hazardous material spills, chemical poi- sonings, and other emergencies. The plan should include: where hazardous products are stored, emergency re- sponse numbers, and finally, what to do in case of an accident. Contact DPNR- DEP, UVI-CES, or the Health Depart- ment to get more information on devel- oping an emergency response plan. ASSESSING YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES If You Answered “Yes” to the Following Questions What to Do Who to Call Other References What You Did Questions 1,2,3 Inventory all household hazardous waste, pesticides, and containers on your property. UVI Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Department of Public Works (DPW), Department of Agriculture (DOA), or DPNR Division of Environmental Protection (DEP). Question 4 Develop a secured storage area. UVI-CES, DPNR-DEP, DOA. Question 5 Develop an emergency response plan. UVI-CES, DPNR-DEP, or Health Department. PHONE NUMBERS: UVI-CES: 692-4080 (St. Croix); 693-1080 (St. Thomas - St. John) DPNR-DEP: 773-1082 (St. Croix); 774-3320 (St. Thomas - St. John) DOA: 778-0997 (St. Croix); 774-5182 (St. Thomas - St. John) Health Department: 773-1311 (St. Croix); 774-6880 (St. Thomas - St. John) DPW: 773-1290 (St. Croix); 776-4844 (St. Thomas)