Household Hazardous Waste
Alternatives & Disposal

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Household hazardous wastes that make their way into landfills can cause groundwater pollution. If improperly handled and disposed of, these materials can pose a threat to the public's health and safety. In many cases, you can avoid buying products that contain hazardous materials and use alternative products instead.

What you put in the garbage matters

Before you buy, read the label. It is often difficult to determine if a product is hazardous since manufacturers are not required to list ingredients. However, manufacturers must label the degree of acute toxicity of a product.

Look for the following signal words on labels (listed in order from least to most hazardous):

Caution

Warning

Danger

Other words that indicate hazardous substances:

Poison

Flammable

Volatile

Caustic

Corrosive

Before purchasing a product labeled with any of these words, try to find a less hazardous product.

Buy smart

The best way to avoid hazardous household materials is to use alternative products. Safer alternatives are listed in this brochure.

For materials that have no available alternatives, follow these tips:

• Buy only what you can use in a short period of time.
• Leave products in their original container.
• Don't mix a product with other materials unless the labels give directions for doing so.
• Use products in a well-ventilated area.
• Don't eat, drink or smoke while using hazardous materials.
• Avoid aerosols.

Avoid hazardous waste by trying these alternatives

Air freshener

Place saucers of vinegar around the house to absorb odors.

All purpose cleaner

Recipe 1) 1 teaspoon borax in 1 quart warm water to clean most surfaces. Recipe 2) 1 tablespoon ammonia, 1 tablespoon liquid detergent and 2 cups water. Mix ingredients and put in spray bottle.

Aluminum pan cleaner

2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 quart water. To clean aluminum cookware, combine ingredients in cookware. Bring solution to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Wash and dry as usual.

Ants

Wash counters, floors, etc., with mixture of equal parts vinegar and water.

Brass polish

Make a paste out of lemon juice and baking soda. The paste should be the consistency of tooth paste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water.

Drain cleaner

Fix 1) Use a plunger. Fix 2) Use a flexible metal snake that can be purchased or rented. Fix 3) Pour cup baking soda down drain. Next pour down cup vinegar. This mixture will foam. After 15 minutes flush with boiling or hot water. This mixture will not open a clogged drain but if used regularly, it will keep drains flowing freely. Do not use any of these methods if you have used a commercial drain opener that may still be present in the drain.

Fleas (in carpet)

Place a small light above a pan of water or beer. Fleas will jump at the light, land in the liquid and drown.

Flea & Tick (on pets)

Add small amounts of brewers yeast to your pet's food.

Flies

Recipe 1) Beat an egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of molasses and finely ground black pepper and set out mixture in shallow plates. Fix 2) Buy sticky fly strips or paper.

Mice

Fix 1) A mouse trap. Fix 2) Set out mashed potato powder, or buds, in a strategic place, with a dish of water nearby. This will cause fatal bloating.

Moths

Cedar chips or lavender flowers.

Oven cleaner

Fix 1) sprinkle water on oven surface. Apply baking soda. Rub using very fine steel wool. Wipe off scum with a damp sponge. Rinse well and dry. Fix 2) While oven is still warm, sprinkle water on the spill, then sprinkle salt on it. When the oven cools down, scrape the spill away and wash the area clean. Fix 3) Heat oven to 150��. Turn off the oven, place a bowl of ammonia in the oven. Let this set over night.

Rust

Scrub with lemon juice mixed with salt.

Toilet bowl

Fix 1) Use a pumice bar to scour the toilet bowl ring. Fix 2) Mix lemon juice and borax into a paste about the consistency of toothpaste. Flush toilet to wet sides. Rub paste on the toilet bowl ring. Let sit for two hours and then scrub thoroughly. Fix 3) Sprinkle baking soda into the toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scour with toilet brush. Fix 4) Pour cup liquid chlorine bleach into toilet bowl. Let stand for onehalf hour. Scrub with brush. Flush.

Toilet, Tub, Tile and Chrome cleaner

Baking soda can be used as a mild abrasive for most household needs. Add ¼ cup vinegar to each quart of water for cleaning and disinfecting. Add salt or baking soda to intensify the solution effects.

Window cleaner

Recipe 1) &fract12 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon of water. Recipe 2) &fract12 cup white vinegar, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 gallon of water. Recipe 3) Same as #1 or #2 but substitute ammonia for vinegar.

Proper disposal of hazardous materials

The following chart of household hazardous wastes provides guidelines for the proper handling and disposal of hazardous materials. The best alternative for all materials is to use up the material for its intended purpose.

As indicated by the marked box for each item, the materials may be disposed of in that specific manner.

	Place in garbage. If Liquid, dry out first, then place in garbage.	Pour down toilet. Do this only when connected to a municipal sewer system, and during dry weather. Do not mix chemicals in toilet bowl.	Hazardous! If the material is still usable share it with a neighbor. Households in Douglas and Sarpy Counties may use UnderTheSink to dispose of properly.
Alcohol based lotion (aftershave, perfume)		X
Alkaline batteries	X
Aluminum cleaner		X
Ammunition				Note 2
Ammonia based cleaner		X
Ant poison			X
Antifreeze			X	For disposal options, click here.
Artist paint	X
Auto body filler	X
Automotive battery			X	For disposal options, click here.
Bathroom cleaner		X
Battery acid			X
Brake fluid			X	For disposal options, click here.
Bug spray			X
Button cell batteries (hearing aid, watch or small electronics)			X	Note 5
Chlorine bleach		X
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs			X
Cutting oil			X
Diesel fuel			X
Disinfectant		X
Drain cleaner		X
Dry cleaning solvents			X
Engine degreaser			X
Ether or organic peroxides				Note 8
Fertilizer			X
Fiberglass epoxy/resin			X
Fireworks				Note 2
Flares				Note 2
Floor care products			X
Fluorescent tubes			X
Fuel oil			X
Fungicide			X
Furniture polish			X
Gasoline			X
Glue	X
Gun cleaning solvent			X
Hair relaxer		X
Litium Batteries			X
Medicines (Prescription and Over the Counter)				For disposal options, click here.
Motor Oil			X	For disposal options, click here.
Paint - Dry	X
Paint - Liquid (latex or water based)				For disposal options, click here.
Paint - Liquid Oil based or Alkyd			X
Paint thinner			X	Note 3
Paint stripper			X
Permanent lotion		X
Photographic chemicals (unmixed)			X
Rat poison			X
Rechargeable Batteries			X	Note 6
Rug or upholstery cleaner			X
Rust remover			X
Sharps (needles and lancets)				For disposal options, click here.
Shoe polish	X
Skin cream	X
Swimming pool chemicals (unmixed)			X
Toilet bowl cleaner		X
Tub and tile cleaner		X
Turpintine			X
Varnish			X
Wax/polish	X
Weed killer			X	Note 10
Window cleaner		X
Windshield washer solution		X
Wood preservative			X
	Place in garbage. If Liquid, dry out first, then place in garbage	Pour down toilet. Do this only when connected to a municipal sewer system, and during dry weather. Do not mix chemicals in toilet bowl.	Hazardous! If the material is still usable share it with a neighbor. Households in Douglas and Sarpy Counties may use UnderTheSink to dispose of properly.

Note 2: Call the Omaha Police Department at 444-5880.

Note 3: Let the paint settle to the bottom. Pour the mineral spirits into a new container leaving the paint in the bottom of the first container. Let the first container dry out, then discard in the garbage. Reuse the paint thinner in the new container. Be sure to properly label the container.

Note 5: Some places that sell hearing aid batteries also accept them for recycling or dispose of properly at UnderTheSink.

Note 6: Call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at (800) 2Recycle [877-273-2925] or on the internet visit them at www.call2recycle.org.

Note 8: Can be explosive if more than one year old. Call the Omaha Police Department at 444-5880.