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How do I know if I have household hazardous wastes in my home? Surprise! We all generate household hazardous wastes. The average American generates about 15 pounds of household hazardous waste a year. Most of household hazardous waste ends up at the landfill, in septic systems or sewage treatment plants if you pour it down your drains. Sometimes, people pour the waste directly onto the ground, or in storm drains, which empty into local rivers and streams. Eventually, these wastes make it back into our drinking water supply.
Until recently, we did not pay much attention to household hazardous wastes. Few realized the dangerous make-up of the products we use or we thought the amount was so small it would not matter.
The problem with household hazardous wastes is that they are exempt from federal and state hazardous waste regulations. Most of it gets placed in your household garbage right along with other non-hazardous types of wastes that your trash hauler picks up weekly.
Many common household products have hazardous properties. Take a look at your cleaning supplies or look around the basement or garage. Storage of these wastes poses safety and health hazards for homeowners. Products that exist in high concentration, such as aerosols and polishes are very volatile
Northern Maine Development Commission, in conjunction with the County of Aroostook, the Maine Department of Agriculture, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Pine Tree Waste, Presque Isle Solid Waste Department, and Tri-Community Recycling and Sanitary Landfill recently hosted two, one-day collection event during the summer of 2007 to collect used and unwanted household hazardous materials. Our next collection is scheduled for the spring of 2008.
Please contact Connie Bondeson, Environmental Planner at NMDC at 1-800-427-8736 or 498-8736 for more information about the next HHW collection
Turpentine/Varnish
Brake Fluid
Paint remover/Thinners
Charcoal Lighter Fluids
Pool and Photo Chemicals
Linseed Oil
Used Antifreeze
Adhesives/Solvents
Oven/Drain Cleaners
Fungicide/Herbicide/Pesticides
Battery Acid/Muriatic Acid
Waste Gasoline
Pharmaceuticals
Asbestos, Commercial and Industrial Waste: Call Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection in Presque Isle. Lou Pizzuti 1-888-769-1053 OR 764-0477
Ammunition: Call your local police department.
Fireworks, explosives: Call State Police @ Houlton Barracks 532-5400.
Infectious & Biological Waste: Call your local hospital safety department for disposal options.
Propane Tanks: Take them to your local transfer station if they are accepted there.
Latex/Oil based Paint: Open the can to dry the paint. Kitty litter or Waste Paint Hardener can speed up the process. Once dry, the paint can be disposed of with your regular garbage.
Flashlight Batteries: AA, AM, C&D types – also known as alkaline batteries. Since 1993 alkaline batteries no longer contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and can be disposed of with your regular garbage.
Rechargeable Batteries: Nickel cadmium (NI-CAD), lithium, small sealed lead, and nickel metal hydroxide batteries - often used in power tools, cell phones, and camcorders, etc. can be brought to your local transfer station or landfill , or in some cases, the place where they purchased, for recycling.
Car, Lawn Mower, and Boat Batteries: return them to the place where they were purchased or your local transfer station or landfill for recycling.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs, Misc. Mercury Materials, Television/Computer Monitors: Can be brought to your local transfer station or landfill for recycling. A small fee will be charged for some items.
Click here to view the danger symbols and find out what makes a substance hazardous.
For more information, contact Connie Bondeson, Environmental Planner, at (207) 498-8736 or 1-800-427-8736 or cbondeson@nmdc.org
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