Hazardous Household Product safety

You can identify a hazardous product by reading the label. You can assume that a product is hazardous if its label bears one or more of the following signal words:

• Poison means highly toxic; toxicity is the primary hazard.
• Danger means extremely corrosive, flammable or reactive or highly toxic.
  
• Warning or Caution appear on all other hazardous substances. These signal words are followed by precautionary statements such as "Keep out of reach of children." When used on non-pesticide labels, Warning and Caution are used interchangeably; there is no distinction between hazard levels.
• For pesticides:
  • Poison and Danger have the same meanings as above.
  • Warning means moderately toxic; corrosive, flammable, or reactive.
  • Caution signals slight toxicity; corrosive, flammable or reactive.

Characteristics of hazardous substances

Toxic/ Poisonous:

Capable of causing injury or death through ingestion (eating/ drinking), inhalation, or skin absorption.

Examples: Brake fluid, brass polish, fungicides, insecticides, fertilizers, rat and mouse poison, antifreeze, and medicines.

Corrosive:

Can eat away materials and living tissue by chemical action.

Examples: Oven, drain and toilet cleaners, chlorine bleach cleaners, scouring powders, some pool chemicals, car batteries, and silver polish.

Reactive:

Can react with air, water or other substances and result in explosions or the generation of toxic fumes.

Examples: Any products containing chlorine (bleach, automatic dishwaher detergent or pool chemicals) can produce a toxic gas when mixed with products containing ammonia.

Flammable/ Combustible:

Can undergo spontaneous combustion at relatively low temperatures, thereby presenting a significant fire hazard.

Examples: Paint thinners, some solvents, adhesives, rubber cement, hair spray, and furniture polishes.

Reducing exposure to use hazardous products more safely

• Read and follow label instructions carefully
• Use products in well-ventilated areas to avoid breathing fumes (for proper ventiliation, you need to have the fumes blown out of the building. Forinstance, open two windows, and place a fan in the window next to your work space blowing out.)
• Avoid use of aerosols (pressurized spray cans like spray paint)
• Keep products out of reach of children and pets
• Cleanup properly when you are finished using a product
• Wear protective clothing
• Never mix products
• Use only the recommended amount
• Keep products in their original containers
• Buy only what you need
• Use safer alternatives whenever possible

Return to the Household Hazardous Waste page

Updated: Jan. 1, 1999