Americans generate 1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste per year. Considering this statistic, you can see why managing household hazardous materials is important for residential life facilities. Household hazardous materials can create a potential risk to people and the environment since they have the following characteristics:
- Corrosive: they eat or wear away at many materials
- Flammable: they easily ignite
- Reactive: they can cause an explosion or produce deadly vapors
- Toxic: they are poisonous to humans and animals
Some common household hazardous materials that might be present in a residential facility are: aerosol products, batteries, chlorine bleach, drain cleaners, fire extinguishers, insect repellent, lighter fluid, nail polish remover, mothballs, prescription drugs, spot removers, smoke detectors, toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, and also, some lab and art materials brought home for homework.
In most cases, hazardous wastes generated in households are exempt from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. However, facility owners/operators must understand the RCRA regulations and know which hazardous wastes would not fall under the household waste exclusion provision.
State and local environmental regulations should also be reviewed since they may govern the storage, handling and disposal of household hazardous wastes. Environmentally responsible handling of household hazardous wastes is encouraged regardless of whether federal and state regulations apply.
Proceed through this section of the tour to learn more about the environmental regulations and best management practices associated with household hazardous materials, as they exist in residential life facilities.