Being a Responsible Consumer With Hazardous Waste

When you reuse, recycle, or reclaim hazardous water, you can avoid environmental hazards, protect scarce natural resources, reduce our reliance on raw materials and energy and provide economic benefits. Hazardous waste, when improperly disposed of, can have disastrous effects on our land and water.

The hazardous waste you may have around the home is any unwanted household product labeled as flammable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive. Most commonly, these are aerosols, anti-freeze, asbestos, fertilizers, motor oil, paint supplies, photo chemicals, poisons, and solvents.

Be a responsible consumer by reducing hazardous waste.

Buy Responsibly

• Compare and read product labels.

• Buy only what you need.

• Purchase or make your own environmentally friendly non-toxic cleaning products.

• Use latex paint instead of oil-based paint.

Store Responsibly

• Keep hazardous waste out of the reach of children and animals, and away from food, water and heat sources.

• Store materials in their original containers with labels intact.

• Separate flammable, corrosive and poisonous products.

Dispose Properly

• Always try to purchase only the amount needed.

• Never place hazardous waste in recycling receptacles or trash cans.

• Don’t flush hazardous waste down toilets, household drains or in storm drains.

• Deliver excess household hazardous waste in their original container with label intact to the Prince George’s County Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site. (If  the product label is not legible, use a permanent marker to write the chemical name on the container).