Reducing Toxicity of HHW

• Always read the label, and buy the least-toxic product.
• Buy only the amount that you need.
• Use up all of the product.
• Give usable, leftover products to friends or neighbors, or donate to community groups.
• Take unwanted products and potentially dangerous waste (free of charge) to a household hazardous waste disposal program.

• Storm drains send water directly to our creeks and surface water without treatment
• Toxics poison the fish and can end up in our drinking water supply

• May cause an explosion in the underground pipes
• Chemicals may pass through the treatment plant untreated, and on into the surface water.

• May seep into groundwater or be washed down storm drains or into creeks

• Toxic materials often become more dangerous when they burn
• It's illegal to burn any trash in Washington State

• Could hurt the garbage hauler
• Could damage the garbage truck
• Could seep into our ground or surface water

• If products containing hazardous chemicals are poured down a sink or toilet on a septic system, they can kill the beneficial, digesting bacteria in the tank and disrupt the system.
• Chemicals that cannot be broken down by the system's bacteria can pollute the soil and the surrounding groundwater when the liquid is dispersed by the leach field.

• Disinfectants (limited, normal household use is OK)
• Chemical drain openers (limited use is OK, but a plunger or plumber's snake is better).
• Do not use "septic tank cleaning solvents" that contain methylene chloride or 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA). These "scum-dissolving" products typically don't work and may harm the septic system and pollute groundwater.