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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Hazardous waste is not only created by industries, it also comes from us - from our homes, cars, and yards. Hazardous waste is any material that poses a risk to people or to the environment if it is not properly disposed. When a toxic household product is discarded improperly it ends up in a landfill, septic tank, wastewater treatment plant, or gut, and eventually in our coastal waters. Septic tanks and wastewater treatmen t plants rely o n a delicate balance o f bacteria to decompose wastes. If this balance is disturbed by the introduction of a toxic household product, the septic tank or treatment plant may m alfunction, sending untreated chem icals into guts, groundwater, and coastal waters. Surface and ground waters can be contaminated by direct dumping of hazardous wastes into guts or storm drains or by leaching of toxic ch emicals fro m landfills into groundw ater and coastal wa ters. Your help is needed to keep toxic substances out of our coastal waters and groundwater. To help protect our waters, please read the suggestions below to ensure that your home is not a hazardous waste contributor. GENERAL TIPS Be aware o f product uses an d dangers. Read product lab els carefully and follow directions. If directions are unclear, contact the manufacturer or dealer before using. Keep unu sed products in their o riginal containers so that you can refer to the directions and list of contents in case of accidental poisoning. Always store products in a safe, dry place (this practice is mandatory for all pesticides). Never mix different or unkn own chem icals together. Some products form dangerous compounds when mixed together (such as bleach and ammonia). For products such as epoxy that require chemicals to be mixed; follow the directions carefully. Never pour harmful chemical products down the drain. Many toxic substances harm septic systems, contam inate groundwater, and pass rig ht throug h sewag e treatment plants to contamina te our coastal waters. Try using alterna tive, non-toxic prod ucts. Consult the list at the end of this brochure for ideas, contact the UVI Cooperative Extension Service for more information about alternatives, or check your local library or bookstore. If you w ant to dispo se of a pro duct, but you aren 't sure how , call an expert. Names and locations of experts nearest your home can be found in the information section at the end of this brochure. Urge y our senators and th e Department o f Public W orks to establish a household hazardous waste collection program for the Virgin Islands. The follo wing information is prov ided to he lp you to properly dispose of you r hazardous w astes. HOUSEHOLD PESTICIDES Exam ples of produc ts: flea bombs, sh ampoo s, and sprays; mouse/rat poisons; roach and ant killers; pool chemicals; and mildew rem overs. Exam ples of toxic chem icals in these products: allethrin, brodifacoum, chlorpyrifos, deet, zinc phosphide. NOTE: The toxicity of these products makes them effective but also makes the m dang erous to children, p ets, and ourselves. U se alternatives w henever possible. If you m ust use a ho usehold pesticide, follow the general tips in the beginning of this brochure. Try the following alternatives: 1. To enc ourage mice to live elsewhere, put fresh mint sp rigs in the area where mice have been found. For a more permanent solution, use traps. 2. To combat fleas, comb your pet often and use citrus-based shampoos and sprays or insecticidal soaps and herbal flea collars. Flea collars and monthly flea drops also minimize pesticide use and co ncentrate it where n eeded. T hese pro ducts are available at most pet stores, health food stores or veterinarian offices. 3. To eliminate roaches, keep kitchen and dining areas clean. Set out small bowls with a half-and-half mixture of baking soda and sugar to kill roaches and silverfish. 4. For flies, try fly paper or a fly swatter. 5. For mo squitos an d  no-see-u ms  , try citronella c andles or oil. Other alternative "recipes" can be found in the UVI-CES publication "Recipes for a N on-To xic Household ." The follo wing pesticides ar e severely restricted in use in the United States or are banned from sale: aldicarb (e.g. Temik) lindane azinphos-methyl (e.g. Guthion) methomyl (e.g. Lannate) carbofuran (e.g. Furadan) oxamyl (e.g. Vydate) chlordane* paraquat (e.g. Grammoxone) diazinon permethrin (e.g. Ambush) esfenvalerate (e.g. Asana) 2,4,5-T* fenamiphos (e.g. Nem acur) toxaphene* *Banned pesticides Do not use these produc ts. If you have a banned pesticide in your possession , call one of the agencies listed at the end of this brochure for disposal information. For accepted pesticides, if any is left over in the original container after initial application, do one of the following: 1. Use the remainder of the product according to all safety and storage precautions provided on the label. Make sure to use the correct dosage or dilution for the problem at hand. 2. Find som eone else who ca n use the re maind er of the product. 3. Store the product according to the storage precautions listed on the lab el. PAINT PRODUCTS & PRESERVATIVES Exam ples of produc ts: paints, lacquers, paint thinners and strippers, brush cleaners, wood preservatives, turpentine. Exam ples of toxic chem icals in these products: toluene, lea d (in old paint), methylchloride, pentachlorophenol, trichloroethane. NOTE: Water-b ased pain ts and pro ducts that d o not contain toxic chemicals are available. Use your "buying-power" to encourage the development of environmentally-sensitive products; buy them when available. Before painting, consult the experts at a paint store to determine the healthiest and most environmentally-sensitive option to meet your need s and expectation s. Solvents, paint thinn ers, and w ood pre servatives a re especially toxic. These products should never be dumped down the drain or flushed d own th e toilet. Let used turpentine or brush cleaner sit in a closed jar u ntil paint particles settle out. Strain and reuse turpentine or thinner, wrap waste material in newsp aper, and discard in th e trash. Pour old paint onto , and stuff empty cans with, n ewspap er. Allow to dry thoro ughly, th en discard in trash. Th is will curb paint from e ntering g roundwater at the landfill. HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS Examples of produ cts: deodo rizers, polishes, spot rem overs, dra in openers, all-purpo se cleaners. Exam ples of toxic chem icals in these products: lye, petroleum distillates, naphthas, trichloroethane, phenols, dichlorobenzene. NOTE: Many of these products are used for heavy duty cleaning. Using alternatives regularly can prevent the need to use harmful products. Try the following alternatives: 1. For clogged drains, snake with a metal line, use a plunger, and/or pour two tablespoons baking soda into the drain, add 1/3 cup vinegar, and after 15 minutes, pour boiling water down the drain. 2. A mixture o f baking soda and vinegar c an be used fo r most cleaning purp oses. Rubbing alcohol can be used as a disinfectan t. Other alternative "recipes" can be found in the UVI-CES publication "Recipes for a N on-To xic Household ." Use biodeg radable o r liquid dete rgents instea d. Biode gradab le detergents are especially necessary when septic system grey water is used for irrigation. AUTOMOTIVE WASTES COOLANTS & OIL AND GASOLINE Toxic chem ical in coolants: ethylene glycol. Examples of toxic chemicals in waste oil and gasoline: Petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals like lead and zinc. Household Hazardous Waste is published by the University of the Virgin Islands, Cooperative Extension Service, Kwame Garcia, State Director. 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, and gender preference. NOTE: Coolants are highly toxic. Pets and animals that drink sweet-tasting coolant from contaminated guts or drainage channels, or puddles on parking lots or by dumpsters may die. Don't dum p coolants or used motor oil dow n storm drains, toilets, or drains, onto gro und or into gu ts. These produ cts MUST go to a collection site for recycling; any o ther kind of disposa l is illegal. To find out where to dispo se of antifree ze and u sed mo tor oil, call DPNR or DPW. Keep your oil, antifreeze, and other automotive substances in a coo l, dry place in separate containers; they cannot be accepted for recycling if they are mixed together. Do NOT store waste oil in plastic co ntainers - plastic is made from oil and the oil will eventually seep through the plastic. Proper disposal of fuels like gasoline and kerosene may be virtually impossible. Try the following: 1. Find a serv ice station tha t will prope rly dispose of the pro duct. 2. Call your local fire department to see if they can use the substance durin g controlled bu rning drills. 3. Store the product safely and call for information at one of the agencies listed at the end of this brochure. LAWN & GARDEN PESTICIDES (fungicid es, herbicid es, insecticide s, etc.) Exam ples of produc ts: grass and weed spray, rat poison, slug bait, insect spray. Exam ples of toxic chem icals in these products: 2,4-D, captan, carbaryl, diazinon, malathion, methoxychlor. NOTE: Although these products perform many services for the gardener, remember that they can be deadly to birds, insects, and especially to fish and other aquatic life. If you must use a weed or bug killer, contact the UVI Cooperative Extension Service to find out the most effective, least polluting product to use. Consider alternative s to pesticide use whenever p ossible. Organic remedies may work well and at no cost to the environment. Organic gardening books are a useful source of information. Also contact the UVI Cooperative Extension Service regarding integrated pest management (IPM) and sustainable agriculture p ractices. Don't use pesticides if rain is forec ast. Rain can wash poisons into a nearby gut or storm drain, where the pesticides are washed into salt ponds or coastal waters. Also, do not over-apply pesticides and do not overw ater. FOR MORE INFORMATION Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Environmental Protection St. Thomas: (340) 774-3320 St. Croix: (340) 773-0565 Public Works Department St. Thomas: (340) 776-4844 St. Croix: (340) 773-1290 UVI Cooperative Extension Service St. Thomas: (340) 693-1080 St. Croix: (340) 692-4080 Virgin Islands Energy Office St. Croix: (340) 772-2616 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency St. Thomas: (340) 714-2333 General Information Hotline 1-800-424-9436 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pesticides Hotline 1-800-858-7378 National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides Washington, DC 20003 (202) 543-5450 This brochure was prepared by Julie Wright, Natural Resources Program Supervisor, University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service with information provided by U.S. EPA, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Water Environment Federation. Printed on recycled paper with soy ink SOME ALTERNATIVE HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS If You H ave This... You M ay Not N eed This... Vinegar and rubbing alcohol Glass Cleaner Rubbing alcohol, baking soda, Disinfectant cleaner salt, or vinegar Mildew stain remover Toilet bowl cleaner Cornstarch Laundry starch powder Carpet and rug shampoo Some stain removers Baking soda Floor polish remover Scouring powder Tub and tile cleaner Oven cleaner Drain cleaner Detergent booster Silver polish House hold detergents Minera l oil Some househ old oils Some rust preve ntative oils Soap and water Some jewelry cleaners Plant insecticides Plastic cleaners Some stain removers Stainless steel cleaner Vinegar Coffeepot cleaner Some stain removers *Never mix a mmo nia and bleach, o r get them near ea ch other . The result is dead ly chloram ine gas. Cooperative Extension Service University of the Virgin Islands #2 John Brewers Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1080 HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Simple Ways to Protect Our Coastal Waters