Detoxify Your Home to Help Detoxify the Bay - The Chesapeake Bay Program

<body><p>Spring-cleaning time will be here sooner than we think. This spring, how about making a special effort to think twice about the products you use to clean your home. The average home has as many as 100 pounds of household hazardous waste (HHW) in it, ranging from cleaning substances to batteries to paint and even nail polish.</p> <p>Dishwashing detergent, drain cleaner, floor wax, glass cleaner, oven cleaner and an array of disinfectants may help us clean our homes, but many of these products contain nutrients and toxic materials that can get into the Bay. When we put these products down the drain, the wastewater is processed in treatment plants, but some hazardous chemicals and nutrients can still make their way to the Bay.</p> <p>It may not be practical to completely eliminate HHW from your cupboards, but you can take steps to manage and/or reduce the toxic pollution that comes from your home:</p> <ul> <li><em><a href="http://www.epa.gov/msw/hhw.htm" target="_top">Dispose of HHW properly</a></em> – Over one million tons of HHW is generated each year in the United States. There are proper disposal methods for these products; make every effort to follow them. </li> <li><em><a href="http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=action_simple_ways_index" target="_top">Seek out a safe substitute</a></em> – Determine what toxins are lurking in your home. Learn what to discard and how to replace it. </li> <li><em><a href="http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm" target="_top">Concoct your own cleaner</a></em> – Did you know that lemon juice, cornstarch and baking soda can be effective cleaners? There are a number of non-toxic alternatives and recipes to discover, many of which you already have in your home and do not need to spend extra money to buy. </li> </ul> <p><strong>HHW TIPS: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Follow the directions on the label and use only what is needed. <em>Twice as much does not mean twice the results. </em></li> <li>Select the least toxic products available. Choose non-toxic alternatives when you can, and to reduce and/or eliminate the disposal problem, buy only the amount you need. </li> <li>In cases where there is no effective safe substitute for a toxic product, reevaluate how important the goal really is. </li> </ul> </body>