Pollution Prevention Made Easy

 The best way to think of pollution prevention (P2) is to remember the three Rs of P2: REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE, in that order. With this in mind, it can be very simple to think of ways that you can reduce the amount of pollution you generate on a daily basis. Below are tips on ways to REDUCE and REUSE.

P2 Tips

 AT HOME

• Install low-flow shower heads. Typically, showers require less water than a bath. In addition to saving the amount of water you use, you will save energy used by the hot water heater.
• Check for water leaks and repair them. A good way to check for leakage from your toilet is to drop some dye (red kool-aid will work) into the tank and wait for about 10 minutes. If the color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Leaks in the toilet add up to a substantial amount of wasted water. Fixing them may reduce your water bill.
• Stop unwanted junk mail. To "stop junk mail" CLICK HERE.
• Buy products with light weight, flexible packaging. Packaging prodeces an enormous amount of waste. In many cases, it is the most expensive part of the product. By buying in bulk, or buying products with lightweight, flexible packaging, the amount of garbage that is sent to the landfill is reduced significantly.
• Check to see if your home is adequately insulated. By insulating your home properly, you will reduce the amount of energy you use for heating and cooling which will result in a lower utility bill
• Clean or replace furnace filters regularly as needed.
• Drain about a quart of water from your hot water tank every 3 months to remove sediments that may slow heat transfer.
• Install storm windows during the winter. Storm windows will reduce heat loss by 25 - 50%.
• Use the normal wash and no-heat options on your dishwasher. This will reduce the amount of water and energy used each use.
• Liquid (elemental) mercury can be found in the home in heating system thermostats, fever thermometers, and other electronic devices. Since liquid mercury is a toxic material, you may wish to have the mercury taken from your home. Bowling Green State University, in conjunction with the Ohio EPA Emergency Response and other area agencies, will remove sources of mercury from your home at no cost. The mercury will be sent to an EPA licensed facility for reclaiming. To visit our website CLICK HERE
  

  At Home P2 Table

  Supplies	Warnings	Disposal
  Septic tank degreasers,cesspool cleaner containing organic solvents	DO NOT USE any cesspool or septic tank degreaser containing organic solvents. Most of these solvents will pass through the system unchanged and enter the groundwater.	DO NOT GIVE AWAY FOR Reuse. Take to a hazardous waste facility, if available. To reduce your need for a degreaser, collect kitchen fat in cans and place in trash.
  Rust remover containing phosphoric acid		Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding.
  Swimming pool acid		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Chemistry sets	Many of these chemicals are not hazardous. Someone with special knowledge of chemicals could be consulted to determine if they are hazardous.	Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Ammunition, powder, primer		Deliver to a fire or police station or county sheriff's office. Hazardous waste facilities do not accept explosives.
  Gun cleaning solvent		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Antistatic brushes		Return expired radioactive strip to manufacturer.
  Photographic chemicals (unmixed)		Deliver selenium toners, bleaches containing sodium or potassium dichromate, ferricyanide or ferrocyanide to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Photographic solutions		Publication J-52, "Disposal of Small Volumes of Photographic Processing Solutions" is available through Eastman Kodak, 343 State Street, Rochester, NY 14650.
  Ceramic glazes		Glazes containing lead or uranium should be fired in a kiln, then placed in the trash.
  Artists' oils, acrylics		Slit tube and allow to solidify and then place in trash.
  Artists' mediums, thinners, fixatives		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility.
  Rubber cement thinner		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to hazardous waste collection center, if available.
  Fiberglass resins, epoxy resins		Mix resin and hardener and allow it to solidify. Then place in trash.
  Aerosol cans of all types	Do not place aerosol cans in a trash compacter.	Place empty cans in trash.
  Hearing aid batteries	These batteries contain mercury or silver and should not be incinerated.	Store dead batteries out of reach of children in a container that cannot be mistaken for a candy jar or medicine jar. After you have accumulated a number of them, check with a local hospital or your local Solid Waste Management District for recycling.
  Rubbing alcohol		Flush down drain with lots of water.
  Waving lotion in home permanents, relaxer in hair straighteners, Depilatory, Cuticle remover		Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding.
  Perfumes, colognes, aftershave, and preshave for electric shavers		Flush down drain with lots of water.
  Nail polish		Remove cap and allow to solidify before placing into trash.
  Nail polish remover		Flush down drain with lots of water.
  Tub, tile, and shower cleaners containing phosphoric acid		Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding.
  Toilet bowl cleaner		Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding.
  Disinfectant		Small quantities may be flushed down your drain with lots of water (unless you are connected to a septic tank). Industrial strength cleaners should be delivered to a hazardous waste collection facility.
  Extracts such as vanilla or peppermint	These products contain 35% of alcohol or more.	Flush down drain with lots of water.
  Lye, oven or drain cleaner containing sodium hydroxide		Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding. Do not flush large quantities down your drain if you are connected to a septic system.
  Rug cleaners containing solvents, furniture polish containing petroleum distillate, floor polish for wood floors containing solvents.		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Metal polish containing petroleum distillates	Do not air dry on an ozone action day.	Open container and allow contents to solidify, then place in trash.
  Cleaners containing ammonia	Never mix ammonia based cleaners with chlorine bleaches; a poisonous gas will be produced.	Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding.
  Chlorine bleach	Never mix ammonia based cleaners with chlorine bleaches; a poisonous gas will be produced.	Flush down drain with lots of water. Rinse container before discarding. Recycle container if possible.
  Spot remover, dry cleaning solvent		Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Moth balls, moth flakes		Take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Lighter fluid		Take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Lamp Oil		May be mixed with used motor oil, Contact your local oil recycler to make certain.
  Shoe polish containing petroleum distillates		Discard dried out cans in trash.
  Shoe dye		Take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.
  Infectious wastes		Certain serious diseases may produce infectious wastes. Your doctor will tell you if any wastes require special handling.
  Expired prescriptions, other medicine	Do not place unused medicine in the trash. Do not take give away prescription medicine.	Flush down the toilet. Rinse bottles and discard in trash.
  Shampoo for head lice containing the insecticide lindane		Take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available.

  
  

 Holiday P2

• Reuse boxes and decorative packaging
• Reduce the amount of ribbon used on packages
• Send e-mail greetings if possible
• Reuse anything possible. Be creative.
• Recycle whenever possible. For information on where to recycle in your county, CLICK HERE.

DID YOU KNOW?

If everyone in northwest Ohio reduced the amount of ribbon they used by 2 feet, the amount of ribbon saved would stretch from Toledo to New York State! (500 miles)

If everyone in northwest Ohio reduced the amount of water they used by 5 gallons each day (The equivalent of two minutes in the shower), that would result in 7.5 million gallons each day in water savings. That is enough to fill a swimming pool the size of 3 football fields to a depth of 7 feet!

If every family in northwest Ohio canceled three unwanted catalogs, the stack of unwanted catalogs would be five miles high!

Understand your sewage disposal system

 If you are connected to a public sewage disposal system, your sanitary wastewater goes to a wastewater treatment plant through a sewage collection system. There are two types of public sewage disposal systems: combined and separated. A combined sewer system is one that collects both sanitary wastewater and storm water and sends it to the treatment plant for treatment. During periods of intense rainfall, all of the storm water may not be captured. To accomodate these circumstances, overflows have been installed (called Combined Sewer Overflows or CSOs). During wet weather events, these CSOs may discharge the combined sewage directly to a stream or river without any treatment.

 A separated sewage system is one where the storm water collection system is entirely separated from the sanitary collection system. Sanitary wastewater is directed to the wastewater treatment plant and is treated prior to being discharged into a stream or river. The storm water is not treated and goes directly into the receiving stream or river.

 Because wet weather may cause untreated water to be discharged into a stream or river regardless of whether or not the system is separated, it is best to treat all systems as separated systems. That is to say that you must assume all storm water catch basins go directly into a body of water with no treatment. Therefore, you must never dump any type of wastewater or other pollutants into a catch basin or even where the waste can drain to a catch basin.

 If you are not connected to a municipal sewage disposal system, you probably have a septic tank and leach field. The septic tank settles out most of the solids and bacteria begins breaking down the waste. The liquid is then transferred to a series of perforated pipes where it is filtered into the soil. This type of system cannot handle significant amounts of hazardous wastes or grease. Hazardous waste can kill the bacteria that degrades the waste. Furthermore, grease can clog your leach field and cause it to fail. Garbage grinders should not be used if you have this type of system.

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IN THE GARAGE / IN THE YARD

What to do with your waste

• Wash your car in the yard where the drainage can help water your lawn. Drainage from your driveway will go to a storm sewer which is generally discharged directly into a stream without treatment.
• Recycle used oil and antifreeze. For where to recycle in your county, CLICK HERE.
• Plan trips carefully so you do not have to make the same trip twice. Carpool whenever possible.
• Do not let your car idle for long periods of time.

  DID YOU KNOW... one gallon of gasoline used in your car results in ____ pounds of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere?

• Make a compost pile. This will reduce the amount of pollutants going to either the wastewater treatment plant or the land fill. Compost may be used as fertilizer for your garden or flower bed. For information on how to construct a compost pile, CLICK HERE.
• Use a mulching mower on your lawn. The grass clippings will degrade rather quickly and supply nutrients to your lawn. Landfills do not accept lawn waste.
•  Read labels! Do not over use pesticides or herbicides on your lawn or garden. Overuseage results in toxins being discharged into the storm drainge system which goes directly to a stream.
•  Make use out of old paint. Kids may want to use it for art or building projects. Your county may also sponsor a paint collection day.
  

   In The Garage/Workshop P2 Table

  Supplies	Warnings	Disposal
  Used motor oil, automatic transmission fluid, lamp oil, light lubricating oil, kerosene, diesel fuel, brake fluid	Do not pour on the ground or down any drain.	Recycle. Contact your nearest recycling facility to verify whether these may be mixed prior to recycling.
  Antifreeze	Antifreeze is toxic and could be fatal to people or animals if ingested.	Recycle if possible. If your home has a septic tank, do not pour down the drain.
  Gasoline	Do not mix gasoline with waste oil. Store in approved containers. Do not fill completely. Always leave an air space for expansion. Cap all openings when not using.	Burn uncontaminated gasoline in an engine. Take it to a hazardous waste collection center.
  Auto batteries		Trade in to your local auto parts store.
  Windshield washer solution		Use if possible. Otherwise, flush down drain with water.
  Engine degreaser, carburetor cleaner, car wax, chrome polish		Give to a local service station or high school auto shop class. If this can't be done, take it to a hazardous waste collection center.
  Auto body filler		Mix resin and hardener. After hardening is complete, dispose of in trash.
  Latex-base paint		Give useable paint to schools, theatre groups, etc. If paint is unuseable, remove lid and place in well ventilated area (preferably outside) that kids and pets cannot reach and allow to dry. Place in trash.
  Oil-base paint, Epoxy, varnish, and other paint which must be cleaned up with thinner.		Same as latex. Do not air dry on an ozone action day.
  Synthetic auto enamel, model airplane paint		Take to a hazardous waste collection center.
  Paint thinner, turpentine, mineral spirits		Recycle used thinner by storing in a closed metal or plastic container (not glass) for reuse. Store sludge in a container for hazardous waste collection.
  Paint Stripper		Take to a hazardous waste collection center.
  Brush cleaners containing solvents		Strain and reuse as described under "Paint thinner."
  Mercury batteries (from smoke detectors)		Take to hazardous waste collection center.
  Broken smoke detectors (ionization type)	Hazardous waste facilities do not accept radioactive materials.	Return to manufacturer or retailer. If unit is phisically damaged, pick it up with hand in plastic bag, turn the bag inside out and seal.
  Flourescent lamp ballast	Ballasts manufactured prior to 1978 are likely to contain an oily substance called PCB. Repeated exposure to PCB can cause illness.	If a ballest does not have a label stating it contains no PCBs, assume it does. Clean spills with a plastic bag over your hand and soapy water on paper towels. Place the ballest and paper towels in bag and seal. Take to a hazardous waste collection facility.
  Wood preservatives	Do not use up wood preservatives containing creosote, pentachlorophenol, or arsenic.	Take to hazardous waste collection center.
  Wood that has been treated with preservatives.	Do not inhale sawdust or burn . This material is hazardous.	Take to hazardous waste collection center.
  Glues containing solvents		Give leftover glues to someone who will use it. Otherwise, uncap and allow to harden in a well ventilated area (preferably outdoors) away from flames, sparks, or where children or animals can get to it.
  Asbestos	Do not attempt to remove building materials like duct wrapping yourself.	Do not vacuum waste asbestos. this only raises clouds of the dust. Contact a local contractor to remove asbestos from your home.

  
  

   

  In The Yard P2 Table

  Supplies	Warnings	Disposal
  Insecticide	Follow application labels carefully. Never repackage any insecticide.	Give to someone who will use it. Otherwise, take to a hazardous waste collection facility, if available. Rinse empty containers 3 times and wrap it in several layers of newspaper before putting into the trash. Always use the first batch of rinse water to make up the next batch of insecticide.
  Fungicide	See Insecticide	See Insecticide
  Weed Killer, Herbicide, Vegetation Killer	See Insecticide	See Insecticide
  Molluscicide, Snail and slug poison	See Insecticide	See Insecticide
  Rat, Mouse, Gopher poison	See Insecticide	See Insecticide

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Where do I recycle "THIS" in my county? This link will take you to a map of all the counties in Ohio EPA's Northwest District. For a list of recycling facilities near you, just click on the county where you live.

Other Pollution Prevention/Recycling Web Sites

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