And limit your use of hazardous products as much as possible by choosing safer alternatives. Information provided by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. According to national estimates, each home contains from three to eight gallons of hazardous materials in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and basements. Throwing them in the garbage can threaten sanitation workers, who can be injured or poisoned by acids, fires, and explosions. The simple combination of swimming pool chlorine and soda pop results in a deadly reaction producing chlorine gas.
Many household products can be both dangerous to use and to dispose.
No permit or prescription is required to purchase most hazardous household products, but consumers still need to treat the products and containers with caution. Hazardous household products contain ingredients that may cause illness or injury to those who come in contact with them. This can occur through direct contact with the product by breathing the fumes or vapors or from ingesting the product. To forestall injury and illness, consumers should follow some basic rules when using hazardous products. Begin by choosing the least toxic product available.