For Homeowners -
Recovering From a Flood
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Managing Household Chemicals
If your home was flooded and you are beginning to clean up from the aftermath, here are some recommendations for managing waste chemicals.
Separate Wastes
Many household products contain chemicals that pose environmental problems if they are not handled properly. Proper disposal is important. Exercise care when sorting and separating flood-damaged belongings.
Wear protective gloves to pick up damaged chemical containers. Place waterlogged household chemicals in plastic bags and keep the product label with each bag for later identification.
The following list is an example of household chemicals that should be separated from household garbage for later disposal:
- Adhesives
- Aerosol containers
- Antifreeze
- Fluorescent lights
- Gasoline
- Household cleaners
- Motor vehicle batteries
- Paint
- Personal-care products
- Pesticides
- Sharps
- Solvents
- Used dry-cell batteries
- Used mercury thermostats
- Used motor oil
- Wood preservatives
Waste categories
Although industrial hazardous wastes fall into a number of categories, most household hazardous wastes are hazardous because they are flammable, toxic or corrosive.
Flammable wastes are those that can easily catch fire. Flammable wastes
include paint thinner, degreasing and cleaning solvents, aerosol containers,
gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, oil-based paints and roofing tars.
Toxic wastes are those that are poisonous or can be harmful or fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Toxic wastes include antifreeze, pesticides, motor oil, wood preservatives, paint strippers, and spot removers.
Corrosive wastes are those that are acidic or alkaline and can burn or corrode other materials. Corrosive wastes include drain, oven and toilet bowl cleaners; battery acids; swimming pool acids; and concrete cleaners.
Check Product Labels
To find out whether a household chemical can become a household hazardous waste, read the product label. Look for the signal words on the label. The general signal words — Caution, Warning and Danger — indicate the degree to which a product is hazardous. Caution indicates a mild hazard; Warning, a moderate hazard; and Danger, an extreme danger.
Other signal words indicate the type of hazard posed by a product. The words flammable, combustible or contains petroleum distillates indicate that a product is hazardous because of its flammability. The words contains acid, contains lye, or causes burns to skin indicate that a product is hazardous because it is corrosive. The words poison or harmful if swallowed indicate that a product is toxic.
Once you have separated all your wastes, contact your local emergency operations center, county solid waste officer, or local household hazardous waste collection program for further direction on disposal.
For More Information
For more information about household hazardous wastes and collection programs, contact the nearest of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Customer Assistance Center in St. Paul at (800) 646-6247 or the nearest of the following MPCA regional offices:
Brainerd ……… (218) 828-2492
Detroit Lakes …(218) 847-1519
Duluth ….…….. (218) 723-4660
Marshall ……… (507) 537-7146
Rochester ……..(507) 285-7343
Willmar ……..... (320) 214-3786
To report spills of hazardous materials, wastes or other potential pollutants, call the Minnesota Duty Officer at (800) 422-0798 or
(651) 649-5451.
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