Hazardous waste is one of the most harmful by-products of the Industrial Revolution.

No doubt, humankind’s increasing mastery of natural law has resulted in increased life expectancy and a higher quality of life for more people than ever known before it has also brought the risk of global disasters and impairment of human health.  Many of the environmental problems we are dealing with today are an accumulation of 200-plus years of inappropriately managing the residuals of our industrial output.  Past practices have resulted in tens of thousands of contaminated sites in the United States and, in proportion to industrial output, elsewhere in the world.  The global cost of restoring these sites to minimally acceptable levels will eventually run into the hundreds of billions of dollars.  In addition, we are facing the cost of dealing with current and future production and use of products in such a way that they do not impair the environment or human health now or in the future.

What are the sources of hazardous waste?  Most people associate the generation of hazardous waste with large chemical plants. While chemical manufacturing industry represents a large source, chemical users also cumulatively produce far more.  Analytical laboratories at research and educational institutions and even common households generate hazardous waste.   A wide range of household products, when discarded, have the characteristics of hazardous waste.  Pesticides, paint products, household cleaners, hobby chemicals, and automotive products frequently contain hazardous substances.   Some local and state governments have implemented programs to educate the public about household hazardous waste and to operate waste collection programs.

In Europe and in the United States, beginning in the 1980s, and gathering pace through the 1990s, efforts have been made to collect household hazardous waste separately so it could be treated with other hazardous waste.  Extensive systems for separate collection are well established in most western countries.

Consumers use many products that contain hazardous materials.  A partial list of such products divided into general categories includes the following:

Household cleaners: bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, drain opener, furniture polish and wax, oven cleaner, spot remover

Laundry products: laundry detergent, fabric softener, bleach, perchloroethylene

Lawn and garden products: fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, gasoline, oil

Home maintenance products: paint, paint thinner, stains, varnish, adhesives, caulk

Pesticides: insecticide, mothballs, pet spray and dip, rat and mouse poison, weed killer, disinfectant, flea collars, insect repellent

Health and beauty products: hairspray, hair remover, fingernail polish, fingernail polish remover, hair coloring products, cosmetic, medications

Automotive products: antifreeze, brake fluid, car wax and cleaners, gasoline, oil filters, transmission fluid, wind shield washer fluid, lead-acid batteries, tires

Other: charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid aerosol cans, art and craft materials, lighter fluid, pool chemicals, shoe polish, batteries, electronic components, light bulbs,

Many of these products represent toxic sources and potential impacts on the environment. The risks of pesticide use in the home are relatively large.  Between 1981 and 1990, on average 20,000 pesticide exposures a year were reported in emergency rooms throughout the United States, with 82% of those reportedly due to exposure in the home.

Furthermore, many of these products may end up in domestic garbage, collected in disposal bins and placed in landfills.  When this happens, the toxic materials represent an additional hazard as they may leach into groundwater and render it unsafe for consumption.

Hazardous wastes must be disposed of properly to prevent harm to human health and safety, and to the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agencies strive to protect human health and the environment through collaboration with communities, public organizations and private junk removal and disposal bin rental companies, and by so doing, keep our cities and suburbs healthy and beautiful.

The local Environmental Protection Agencies elaborate Hazardous Waste Management Programs and are responsible for providing advice on policy and standards for handling hazardous wastes as reflected in the Hazardous Waste Regulation Guide.

Dumpster Rental Cooperative provided this article as part of their community education effort.

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About the Author:
Laura Schmidt.
Waste Management Consultant,
Dumpster Rentals Cooperative.
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Chemical Free Living for Life

I can remember back when the experts said aerosol cans were ripping a hole in the ozone layer. Many of these cans have been replaced by squirt bottles that seem to stop working, when there is still a quarter of the liquid chemical remaining. The point is, we are still using the chemicals. Recent studies prove those cleaning products are hazardous  to our health. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air we breathe inside our homes could be as much as five times as polluted as the air outside. These cleaning products expose you and your family to chemicals that could be more harmful than the germs they are trying to rid you of. Other studies have shown that the average American will, flush down the toilet, wash down a sink, or place in the garbage, more than 20 gallons of toxic and hazardous chemical products. It is all right to be conscientious about recycling or energy consumption, but think about the potential for affecting the health of people, plants, animals, land and water because of this waste. Believe me when I say, I am not trying to scare, but merely inform. Of the roughly 17,000 chemicals found in common household products, only 3 in 10 have been tested for their effects on human health.  

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,  the agency responsible for the safety of consumers, does not require manufacturers to test household cleaning products before they appear on store shelves. So we as the consumer must rely on the label to get any pertinent information about safety and health hazards. They are only required to provide hazard symbols, such as “poison” and “flammable,” and must give information about first aid treatments for those ingredients. Marketing and advertising gimmicks  are not proof of the safety of the household products. It is their function to come up with words and phrases that will promote their product. So words like “natural” don’t have anything to do with the safety of the product, and phrases like “eco-friendly, and “environmentally safe” have no real meaning, other than to sell their products to unsuspecting consumers who only bother to read the pretty part of the label.

Your Own Chemical Warfare

A Few Tips to Fight Back
There are things you can do immediately to stem this chemical tide. For the next time you go shopping, here are a few green tips that will help you and the planet to a healthier future.

1. If a product is making  cleaning too easy there might be a reason for it. If you are not using any elbow grease, you should be a little weary. Chemicals from these cleaning products have been known to emit fumes even while being stored.

2. Remember those aerosol cans are still around. People who use air fresheners in excess should know that they contain synthetic fragrances, whose chemical make up has been linked to cancer in rodents.

3.Most dish and detergent soaps are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable synthetic resource, another good reason to go with formulas that are plant-based, biodegradable and contain no phosphates. Your fabric sheets that have “fragrance” on their label, means that they are also petroleum based.

Zero Chemicals Are Possible

Help Is Just a Click Away
If all of this seems overwhelming to you, do not threat because  you can have all the information you and your family needs to end your dependance on chemicals. Zero Chemicals- Chemical Free Living is a two-volume guide to chemical free-living options. You can use it to go completely without chemicals, or just choose what you feel is right for your circumstance. For every chemically based product, there is an equally effective and totally safe natural alternative. And the amazing thing is that you will actually save money with this method. With your new home environment you will see a change in everyone. They will feel a boost to their immune system, an energy explosion, and generally an improvement to their overall health.

These are just some samples of the incredible knowledge gained from these guides. The list goes on and on. I don’t have time obviously, to go into all the benefits these guides provide, however at my site Possibly GREEN, you can find this under the Green Guidance section. Feel free to browse. I have reviews on the top online green resources, on such things as: Renewable Energy, Car Conversion, How to Grow an Organic Garden, and even a guide to help you  find green jobs in your area.

At 57, I consider myself to be a Jack Of All Trades And Master Of Nothing. I was a struggling actor for 25 years. During that time I learned a little about a lot of things, and would like to pass along some of that knowledge. I live in California with my beautiful wife and a menagerie of pets.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/green-living-ideassave-your-life-with-zero-chemicals-1247121.html

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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