UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 27, Page 1
April 15, 1993
Household hazardous items to be collected on April 24

     One household headache is deciding what to do with everyday materials
that have the potential to become hazardous when they are discarded
improperly.
     Common products such as pesticides, paint, solvents, wood
preservatives, motor oil, furniture polish and swimming pool chemicals
should be disposed of carefully to ensure one's personal safety and to
protect the environment.
     To address this growing concern, the Department of Occupational Health
and Safety is conducting its first-ever Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Day for members of the University community--faculty, staff and
students.
     The program will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, April 24, in
the parking lot beside the General Services Building, at the corner of
South Chapel Street and Wyoming Road.
     According to Dave Levandoski, environmental health specialist in
occupational health and safety, the collection is designed to provide a
needed service and to educate the campus community.
     He said the weekend following Earth Day was an ideal time to raise
awareness of proper disposal of hazardous waste because interest in the
environment and nature is usually high during this time of the year.
     The items being collected include

       * Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides,
       * Solvents and degreasers,
       * Paint and paint thinners,
       * Used oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, old
         gasoline, lighter fluid, kerosene and dyes,
       * Wood preservatives,
       * Swimming pool chemicals,
       * Furniture polish and waxes,
       * Oven and drain cleaners, septic tank cleaners and toilet cleaners,
       * Nail polish and remover,
       * Outdated pharmaceuticals,
       * Mothballs, and
       * Photographic chemicals.

     Items not able to be accepted, because of handling, transportation
and/or disposal restrictions include: unknown materials or unlabeled
containers, road flares, ammunition and gunpowder, explosive compounds,
radioactive materials (including smoke detectors), gas cylinders (aerosol
cans will be accepted) and asbestos waste.
     Transporting hazardous waste materials to the collection site should
be done properly.
     Levandoski suggested all products be kept in original containers and
that they be secured for transport with newspaper and/or cardboard used as
filler.
     Chemicals that may react with one another should be placed in separate
containers.
     While many items will be brought to the site in the back of a pick-up
truck, those being carried in an automobile trunk should not be left in a
hot, unventilated area for long periods of time.
     Reading the labels of products used in the home or at work, is a very
important, he said. Information printed on containers offers important
advice regarding storage and transport.
     Many of the materials collected will be recycled or reused, Levandoski
said. Items such as motor oil will be re-refined.
     Paint thinner and watered-down gasoline have a high potential for use
as a new heating oil product.
     Other appropriate compounds will be separated and safely processed
through municipal water treatment facilities.
     In addition to University volunteers from occupational health and
safety, assistance is being provided by Laidlaw Environmental Services and
the DuPont Co.
     Informational material will be provided at the collection site.
     Levandoski said statistics indicate that people will participate in
collection programs if they are better informed and if the drop-off points
are conveniently located.
     Depending upon the response, future collection days may be offered.
                                        -Ed Okonowicz