Home & Garden Pesticides	Paints & Other Home Improvement Products
Solvents & Home Cleaning Products	Waste Oil & Other Automotive Products

What is a Hazard and When is it Hazardous?

When you care for yourself, your home, your gardens, and your machines, you use many chemical products.  Research sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows that some of these products contain materials that are hazardous to human health or the environment.  Hazardous substances fall into the following categories:  POISONOUS, FLAMMABLE, CORROSIVE (likely to eat through its container or your pipes), or REACTIVE (may explode during routine handling).

Most household products are not hazardous.  It is when products are improperly used, stored or disposed of that they may become hazardous to human health and the environment.  To prevent problems, follow all label directions carefully.  

HOME PRODUCT DISPOSAL GUIDE

Personal Care	Dry Cleaning Fluids	CS
	Nail Polish	CS
	Moth Ball	CS
	Spot Remover (with chlorine solvent)	E
	Nail Polish Remover	E
	Permanent Lotions	D
	Detergent	D
	Cosmetics (large quantities)	L
	Alcohol Based Lotions	L
	Medicine (expired)	L
	Shoe Polish	L

Hobbies	Flea Sprays	CS
	Artist Paints/Solvents	CS
	Gun Cleaning Solvent	CS
	Photographic Chemicals (unmixed)	CS
	Swimming Pool Chemicals (undiluted)	CS
	Acids	CS
	Lighter fluid	E
	Photographic Chemicals (mixed & diluted)	D
	Pet Flea Collars	L
	Mercury Battery (D-cell or smaller)	L
	Ammunition                              Local Policy or Fire Department

Home Repair	Old Paint	CS
	Solvents, Thinners, Turpentine	R, CS
	Paint or Finish Remover	CS
	Glue (solvent based)	CS
	Old Stain (solvent based)	E
	Glue (water based)	D
	Old Paint (oil based)	L
	Old Paint/Stain (latex)	L

 Do's

• Read the product label.
• Watch for signal works; CAUTION, WARNING, or DANGER. U.S. Product Safety Commission requires the use of these words on products which are toxic in small amounts.  Keep all of these products away from children.
• Buy just enough product to do the job.
• Look for a less or non-hazardous product to perform each job.
• Recycle or use all products if possible.
• Properly dispose of leftover products. SEE CHART ABOVE FOR DISPOSAL POTIONS
• Keep leftover products in original containers.
• Share unused products.

Don'ts

• Do not DUMP leftover products in the backyard or down the sink or storm sewer.
• Do not BURN or BURY leftover products.
• Do not REUSE pesticide of other chemical containers for other purposes.
• Do not MIX chemical wastes.

For more information contact:

Adams County	Other Sources
UW Extension Office	Department of Natural Resources - Madison
(608) 339-4233	(608) 275-3266
Solid Waste Department	Poison Conformation Center - Madison
(608)339-9178	(608) 262-3702
Emergency Government	Chemical Referral Center
(608)-339-4248	(800) CMA-8200