Think Globally
How To Store Hazardous Products
Given all the possible harm household hazardous waste (HHW) can cause, it is important to make sure your hazardous products are safely stored. If improperly stored, these chemicals could cause a fire if left too close to a pilot light or seriously injure your curious puppy who couldn’t keep his mouth off of that bright, colored bottle.
Here are some tips for properly storing HHW:
- Follow any storage directions on the label. Volatile products belong in a well-ventilated area. Flammable products should be stored in cooler temperatures. Corrosive products give off vapors that can corrode nearby metal objects.
- Keep these products out of the reach of children and animals. Even if you don’t have kids or pets, it’s better to be on the safe side. Keep your local poison control phone number handy, just in case any accidents happen.
- Avoid transferring the contents of a hazardous product to a different container. If container is leaking or corroding, make sure the new container is comparable and clearly labeled with the hazardous material.
- Avoid storing hazardous products near food to avoid contamination. Also avoid storing near sources of heat or flames. Keep these same guidelines for rags used to spread hazardous products.
- Store incompatible products separately. Keep corrosive products away from flammable ones.
- Keep containers dry to prevent corrosion.
- Know the whereabouts of any flammable contents in your home, and know how to extinguish them if need be.
- Keep hazardous products in separate containers instead of combining them to save space. It is NEVER a good idea to mix chemicals, especially ones with which you are unfamiliar. Mixing even small amounts of chemicals can have disastrous results.