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Household Hazardous Waste » What is HHW?
What is Household Hazardous Waste? |
Unwanted household products labeled as flammable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive are household hazardous wastes (HHW). All hazardous products must include a signal word - DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION - on the label.
Hazardous products contain chemicals that are:
- Flammable or combustible: can be set on fire easily.
- Explosive or reactive: can detonate or explode through exposure to heat, sudden shock, or pressure.
- Corrosive: can destroy and cause burns to the skin and other living tissues.
- Toxic or poison: capable of causing injury or death through ingestion, inhalation, absorption or injection.
- To avoid the adverse impact of improper disposal on our environment, please take your HHW to the collection in your county.
A typical home can contain a vast array of household hazardous products used for cleaning, painting, beautifying and disinfecting the house, yard, workshop and garage. Chemical-based household products from a single home may seem insignificant; but when hundreds of homes across Northwest Missouri use similar products, the combined effect becomes a major problem when they are handled, stored and disposed of improperly.
The health and safety of people and animals, as well as the health of our communities and the environment is endangered when these types of products are discarded in household garbage, sinks or storm drains.
Common Household Hazardous Waste Products
Safer Alternatives for Household Cleaning
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