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Rule Number One: READ THE LABEL! Manufacturers are required by law to inform the consumer/user, and most of them do. But YOU must take responsibility of understanding the nature of the products you purchase. Read the label. Look for Dangerous, Flammable, Combustible or Poisonous. If you have questions, ask. The label will tell you how to store the  chemical, what protective clothing to use, how to dispose of the empty container and other precautions.

EPA broadly defines a hazardous waste as a material slated for disposal that is ignitable, corrosive, reactive or poisonous. Household wastes are exempt from the same regulations by which manufacturing facilities must abide. This means they can go in the trash, but that's not wise. Co-mingling of hazardous materials from various households has led to garbage truck explosions and injury to trash collectors. If industry doesn't put these chemicals in the trash or down the drain, we shouldn't either. 

Be knowledgeable!

Ignitable Products/Wastes This category also includes charcoal lighter fluid; gasoline for your lawnmower; paint and paint related products - stripper, thinner, varnish; some aerosols such as bug spray and spray paint; furniture polish; fingernail polish remover and finger nail polish; alcohols and alcohol containing products (Ethyl alcohol is what we drink; methyl alcohol is what you put on a cut); and health and beauty products.

Some common flammable compounds are acetone, mineral spirits, ethyl ether; propane.

Chemical names are nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid. See more

Corrosive Products/Wastes Acid and bases such as battery acid; oven cleaner; pool chemicals; drain cleaner;

Reactive Products/Wastes are unstable under "normal" conditions or they can react with other chemicals. They can cause explosions, toxic fumes, gases, or vapors when heated, compressed, or mixed with water. Mixing bleach and ammonia is a dangerous common mistake in the home. For more details, see 40 CFR §261.23  

Other dangerous mixtures are bleach and toilet bowl cleaner, bleach and vinegar.

The common chemical name for bleach is sodium hypochlorite.

Moth balls are naphthalene. Naphthalene is a poison if swallowed.

Poisonous Products/Wastes are pesticides and herbicides (these can be ignitable too); gasoline is toxic and flammable; antifreeze; mercury from that old thermostat or thermometer; fluorescent light bulbs; Rx medications; OTC drugs; cleaning solutions and more.

What to do now? 

Use the product until it's gone. Dispose of the empty container as directed by the label, or - Give it to someone who will use the product until the container is empty, or -Take it to your local Household Hazardous Waste collection center. To find the nearest collection center, see your State's Environmental Management website or call your city or county governance.  Many companies sponsor programs in the cities in which they have offices or facilities. Fire stations are trained in Hazardous Materials. They are an excellent resource.

This is the Design for Environment Label. When you see this, it means EPA has evaluated the product and has found it contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals of their type. When you're ready to replace old products with safer and more environmentally friendly ones, look for this label.

Click above for more on products and the DFE label.