We purchase and use hazardous household products regularly, such as cleaners, paints, disinfectants, pesticides, and even batteries. Each of these household products can have negative impacts on our drinking water if they enter the groundwater or a local water body. Household hazardous chemicals are sometimes improperly disposed of in drains, toilets, or yards. They can also be spilled or improperly stored. When household hazardous waste enters our waterbodies. it can harm the animals that live there, the people who fish and swim there, and everyone who depends on clean drinking water.

How You Can Help

1. Purchase and/or make safe and cheap household product alternatives such as vinegar and water mixtures for cleaning counters. Use stronger chemicals with warnings such as “CAUTION”, “WARNING”, “FLAMMABLE”, “HARMFUL”, “DANGER”, and “POISON” only when absolutely necessary.

2. Properly use and store hazardous products away from any location near a water system or well.

3. Properly dispose of your household hazardous waste. Do not dump hazardous chemicals down drains, in the yard, or in the trash. Take the chemicals to or make an appointment with a company that property disposes and/or recycles household hazardous waste, your local transfer station, or the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Center EcoDepot.

Where To Learn More

“Household Hazardous Products”
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Eco-Depot (Rhode Island public household hazardous waste proper disposal and recycling)
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