Beware of household products

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PRINCETON — Household products should be handled and stored carefully, according to a Bureau County emergency and safety committee.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee has released information on a variety of household products which could be dangerous to a person’s health if improperly used or stored. Some of those items include paints, cleaners, stains and varnishes, car batteries, motor oil and pesticides.

LEPC Chairman Lisa Clinton said the average home generates more than 20 pounds of hazardous household waste each year. Through time, the average home may accumulate as much as 100 pounds of household waste in the home’s basement, garage and storage closets. Some of these items could be dangerous to humans, pets and the environment, if not handled properly, Clinton said.

Kris Donarski, LEPC member and director of the Bureau County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency, said people need to read labels carefully and follow directions when using or storing all household items. They should also be kept in their original containers, and labels should not be removed from those containers, Donarski said.

Household cleaning products should also not be mixed, Clinton said. For instance, combining ammonia and household bleach can release a gas harmful to the respiratory system. People should also use personal protective equipment, such as rubber gloves, when handling those household products.

Donarski said the LEPC has applied to the state to have a household pick-up day for those items which contain hazardous materials. It’s important those items are disposed of properly, she said.

Concerning disposal of those materials, Clinton said household hazardous wastes should not be poured down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers or put into the trash. The dangers of improper disposal methods may not always be immediately evident, but may still cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems, and present hazards to humans and pets at the home.

The LEPC recommends families also seek to limit their use of household materials containing hazardous materials. For instance, paints can be shared with other families or donated to local businesses or agencies for use.

Every home should have the number of the Illinois Poison Control Center, (800) 222-1222, readily available, Donarski said.

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