Household chemicals can be dangerous… To avoid the potential risks associated with household hazardous wastes, it is important that people always monitor the use, storage, and disposal of products with potentially hazardous substances in their homes. Improper disposal of HHW in Bayville, Centre Island, and Mill Neck can present serious problems. Pouring chemicals down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some cases putting them out with the regular trash can cause serious environmental issues.

The dangers of such disposal methods might not be immediately obvious, but improper disposal of these wastes can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health. Certain types of HHW have the potential to cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets. They can also present hazards to children and pets if left around the house.

Some quick tips for the safe handling of household hazardous wastes include:

• Follow any instructions for use and storage provided on product labels carefully to prevent any accidents at home.
• Be sure to read product labels for disposal directions to reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking, mixing with other chemicals, or posing other hazards on the way to a disposal facility.
• Never store hazardous products in food containers; keep them in their original containers and never remove labels. Corroding containers, however, require special handling. 
• When leftovers remain, never mix HHW with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode, and contaminated HHW might become unrecyclable.
• Use the Town of Oyster Bay STOP program for the collection and safe disposal of HHW.
• Remember, even empty containers of HHW can pose hazards because of the residual chemicals that might remain so handle them with care also.

Consider reducing your purchase of products that contain hazardous ingredients. Learn about the use of alternative methods or products—without hazardous ingredients—for some common household needs. When shopping for items such as multipurpose household cleaners, toilet cleaners, laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwashing machine pods, and gels, bug sprays and insect pest control, consider shopping for environmentally friendly, natural products or search online for simple recipes you can use to create your own.