Household Toxics & HHW
Did you Know...
Each year in the United States, more than two million tons of electronic waste (discarded TVs, computers, cellphones, etc.) ends up in landfills across the country. (U.S. EPA)
Western civilization generates a lot of waste, much of which is toxic or contains toxic components. This waste is referred to as household hazardous waste (HHW). As much as we might like to think that a landfill is a safe resting place for our discarded paint, medications and electronics, the opposite is true. By throwing toxic chemicals in the trash, we are slowly poisoning ourselves: as water percolates through the trash in a landfill, it carries toxic chemicals with it to the bottom, where it can pollute groundwater (which eventually becomes drinking water).
This is just one of many threats that toxic chemicals pose to you, your family and the environment. To minimize these impacts, it's important that we all do what we can to REDUCE the use of products that contain toxic chemicals, REUSE these products whenever possible and RECYCLE those that can't be reused. Whatever you do, you should never throw HHW in the trash. In California, doing so is not only dangerous, it's against the law.
To learn more about the environmental impacts of household toxics and hazardous waste and how you can protect your family and the environment from toxic chemicals, use the links below to schedule a presentation.
