A document of its time
This guide is kept as a record of the project's work. Disposal rules, depots and advice have changed since 1996; check with the Nepisiguit-Chaleur regional service commission or your pharmacy before disposing of hazardous products or medicines today.
What is household hazardous waste, exactly?
Simply put, household hazardous waste is the residue of potentially harmful substances you use in your home. They usually are:
- Corrosive: burns skin;
- Flammable: ignites easily;
- Reactive: explosive; and
- Toxic: poisonous to humans.
Do I really need to use this stuff?
Some examples of hazardous wastes you may find around your house: antifreeze, batteries, chlorine bleach, drain openers, flea collars, gasoline, corrosive chemicals, motor oil, nail polish remover, paint, pesticides, rust removers, swimming pool chemicals.
Ask yourself three important questions when thinking of these products:
- Do I really need to use this product? Old fashioned ways are easier, cheaper and safer.
- How much do I really need? Try to buy just enough to finish the job. Share with a friend!
- How will I dispose of this when I am finished? Is it worth all the hassle involved in getting rid of it?
Ok, I have waste. Now what do I do with it?
Our project is hoping to have a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day sometime this spring. In the meantime, wait for our announcement and please follow these general guidelines.
Storage
- Store hazardous products in their original containers so that the handling and disposal instructions on labels can be followed.
- Store in well-ventilated areas where children cannot reach them.
Disposal (paint, spot removers, carpet and furniture cleaners, polishes and glues)
Use absorbent material such as kitty litter, sand or sawdust mixed into the original containers. Containers should be sealed, placed in bags and disposed of with your ordinary garbage.
Disposal (starter and lighter fluid, gasoline and furnace oil)
First, try to use up all the contents. The empty containers should then be tightly sealed and disposed with the ordinary garbage.
Disposal (prescription medicine and over-the-counter drugs)
Leftovers should be flushed down the toilet. This is the only exception to the rule of never flushing dangerous chemicals down drains. If you have a septic system, however, do not follow this. Antibiotics can destroy the necessary bacteria in your septic system. If you are connected to a septic system, antibiotics should be crushed or broken and mixed with other garbage then disposed of.
Disposal (house and garden pesticides)
Never dump leftovers onto the ground or into rivers or streams. Instead, try to use them all up or give them away. Aerosol containers should never be burned or punctured. They should be disposed of in the ordinary garbage.
Disposal (batteries)
Batteries used in flashlights, radios, clocks, watches, calculators contain hazardous materials, like cadmium and mercury. Save them in a sealed container for special disposal at a depot.
Disposal (oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, sink drain cleaners... acid and alkali products)
Leftover products should be sealed in their original containers and disposed of with your ordinary garbage. Sealed empty containers should also be disposed with the ordinary trash. Never reuse any container for other storage use.
Determined to clean up this spring? This list of depots may help
Unfortunately, there is no one disposal depot in Bathurst which accepts all household hazardous waste. A number of different depots identified by the government, however, will take different types of waste. Here is the list for Bathurst and Beresford, as published in 1996:
- Red Pine Sanitary Landfill (Nepisiguit Chaleur Region Waste Commission), Allardville: domestic waste (paper, metal, glass), paint and used motor oil.
- Confidential Shredding Ltd., 2525 St. Peter Avenue: office paper, plastic, glass, plastic bags, and cardboard.
- R&L Garbage Services Ltd., Pabineau Falls: cardboard and paper.
- Executive Recycling, 1440 Eldon Avenue: computer, laser printer and typewriter cartridge recycling.
- Bottle Exchange Centre (Redemption Centre), 375 St. Francis Street: beverage containers, copper, aluminium, stainless steel, all non-ferrous metals, paper, newspaper, cardboard.
- Mario's Metals Ltd. (Redemption Centre), 1318 Miramichi Avenue: beverage containers, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, all non-ferrous metals, batteries.
- Beresford Recycling Ltée. (Redemption Centre), Industrial Park: beverage containers, copper, aluminium, newspaper.
- Bathurst Mechanics Plus Ltée., RR#2 Beresford: any metal containing iron, old car parts, construction waste.
Recipes: hazardous product alternatives
- All purpose cleaner: 1 gallon of hot water, 2/3 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia and 1/4 cup vinegar.
- Abrasive cleaner: half a lemon dipped in borax; rinse and dry.
- Disinfectant: half a cup of white vinegar and baking soda.
- Wood polish: 1 tsp lemon oil to 1 pint mineral oil. Use toothpaste for water spots.
- Plant insecticide: soapy dishwater in a spray bottle.