New York Times: The Hazards Underfoot
Filed under: Earth 911 - October 30, 2008
By Jay Romano
FEW people would be comfortable living next to a hazardous-waste dump. Many, though, may be living inside a hazardous-waste storage center and not even know it.
“There are products we use every day that may be hazardous and should be treated as such,” said John Senn, of the federal ’s Manhattan office. “And disposing of these materials properly is extremely important.”
But how does one know what’s hazardous and what’s not? Many products come with a warning label, he said, “but there are also things that are hazardous that people may not be aware of.”
The rules vary by state, and much useful information is on government Web sites. In New York, for example, the Department of Environmental Conservation spells out what is deemed hazardous and how and where it can be disposed of (www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/hhwma.pdf).
Maureen Wren, a department spokeswoman, said the agency estimates that more than 100,000 tons of hazardous household wastes in the state are put in trash cans and end up in landfills or incinerators. Some don’t make it that far but are dumped in backyards or streams. For example, toilet and drain cleaners are corrosive acids that should not go in household trash. Disinfectants; bleach, oven and drain cleaners; and other such items often contain lye, hydroxide, hypochlorite and other items that should not go in the trash.
Paints, degreasers and other cleaners in aerosol containers can explode under heat or pressure. If the contents are not hazardous, Ms. Wren said, they can be emptied by spraying them into a box or bag outside and letting them dry. Cans of paint or degreasers should be held for hazardous-waste disposal. (Check the can for instructions.)
Automobile antifreeze, she said, has ethylene glycol. Notwithstanding its toxicity, she said, it is attractive to pets and other animals for its sweet taste. It may be possible to get rid of it in areas with sewage facilities (ask your plant), but it should not be poured on the ground or into a drain leading to a septic system.
Even things that seem innocuous can be hazardous if gotten rid of improperly. Waxes and polishes are solvent-based and should be used up or stored for proper disposal. Even mothballs are flammable and toxic, Ms. Wren said, and unused ones should be treated as hazardous. Septic-tank cleaners and drain openers have toxic chemicals. And while such items are meant to be poured down the drain, some places, like Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, prohibit the use of some of them because of potential groundwater contamination.
Ms. Wren said that because oil-based paints contain solvents and because latex paint made before August 1990 may have mercury, they should not be put in the trash. But if paint is allowed to dry completely, it can be disposed of as regular trash.
Pesticides, paint thinners, solvents, motor oil, wood preservatives and swimming pool chemicals should be used up or held for hazardous-waste disposal.
Trey Granger, of Earth911.com, a Web site with information on recycling, said some products with hazardous substances can be recycled. Refrigerators and air-conditioners, which often contain Freon, can be taken to a scrap-metal dealer to recapture the Freon. Fluorescent lights (which contain mercury), automobile batteries (lead) and electronics like cellphones, computers and computer monitors (mercury and lead) usually can also be taken to a recycling center. (To find centers that accept a particular waste, Earth911.com has a locator on its home page.) Some places charge, Mr. Granger said, but generally between $10 and $20 an item.
Mr. Senn, of the EPA, said that for other hazardous wastes, check with local authorities to see if there is a central site for disposal or specific collection days.