Unit C Lesson 11: Household Chemical Safety
Completion requirements
Unit C Lesson 11: Household Chemical Safety |
Learning Targets |
Big Question: How can I ensure that people and animals living in my home are not harmed by household chemicals?
In Unit A you learned about chemical safety for humans. Let's also consider how we can ensure the safety of other living things when using chemicals.
In Unit A you learned about chemical safety for humans. Let's also consider how we can ensure the safety of other living things when using chemicals.
At the end of this inquiry, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- Why are labels important?
- What are MSDSs?
- How should hazardous chemicals be stored at home?
- How do I dispose properly of hazardous household chemicals?
Page 253 to 258 in your textbook will help you answer these questions about household chemical safety.
Introduction
Automotive Fluids
Cleaning Products
Pesticides
Paint
Hair care products
Cleaning spray
Household Chemical Safety
Many potentially hazardous household chemicals are around your home. How can you ensure that every person and pet living in your home is not harmed by hazardous household chemicals? Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) was developed by the Canadian Government in 1988 to help stop the injuries, illnesses, deaths, and fires caused by hazardous materials.
Many potentially hazardous household chemicals are around your home. How can you ensure that every person and pet living in your home is not harmed by hazardous household chemicals? Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) was developed by the Canadian Government in 1988 to help stop the injuries, illnesses, deaths, and fires caused by hazardous materials.
WHMIS is now implemented and used all across Canada. WHMIS is intended for safety in the workplace whereas Hazardous Safety Symbols are intended to increase the level of safety in and around homes.
In Unit B Section 1 Lesson 1, you learned about Hazardous Safety Symbols. Click here to review this material.
Why are labels important? Household chemicals can be useful, but they are potential dangerous if they are not used and stored properly.
Reading all labels for instructions on proper use before you start using the product is important. Labels on all household products are required to contain one of four signal words:
In Unit B Section 1 Lesson 1, you learned about Hazardous Safety Symbols. Click here to review this material.
Why are labels important? Household chemicals can be useful, but they are potential dangerous if they are not used and stored properly.
Reading all labels for instructions on proper use before you start using the product is important. Labels on all household products are required to contain one of four signal words:
Poison
- highly toxic
- can cause injury or death if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin
Danger
- could be toxic, flammable or corrosive
- can cause serious damage to the skin or eyes
Caution
- is moderately toxic if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin
- can cause eye or skin irritation
Warning
- is slightly toxic if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin
- can cause minor eye or skin irritation
Chemicals in the Workplace
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) were introduced in 1988 as a part of WHMIS. An MSDS is prepared by the supplier or manufacturer of the substance or chemical. An MSDS is a document that contains information on the potential hazards and how to work safely with the product.
You can find the MSDSs on several household products by going to the Home Hardware MSDS website. Click here to access the MSDS link. Enter the product name on the third line to obtain the MSDS.
An MSDS is typically five pages long and contains much more information than a label ever could. For the first page of an MSDS on a household cleaning product, see Figure 1.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) were introduced in 1988 as a part of WHMIS. An MSDS is prepared by the supplier or manufacturer of the substance or chemical. An MSDS is a document that contains information on the potential hazards and how to work safely with the product.
You can find the MSDSs on several household products by going to the Home Hardware MSDS website. Click here to access the MSDS link. Enter the product name on the third line to obtain the MSDS.
An MSDS is typically five pages long and contains much more information than a label ever could. For the first page of an MSDS on a household cleaning product, see Figure 1.
Figure 1– The MSDS for a popular house cleaning product.
Storing Hazardous Chemicals
Household chemical must be stored properly to ensure that injuries do not occur. This includes keeping the chemicals away from young children, separating substances that react with each other, and keeping the materials away from sources of heat.
Household chemical must be stored properly to ensure that injuries do not occur. This includes keeping the chemicals away from young children, separating substances that react with each other, and keeping the materials away from sources of heat.
1. All products MUST be stored in their original containers. Window cleaner for example, could look like mouthwash or a sports drink.
2. Whenever possible, store all chemicals in a locked cabinet in the garage or in a shed to which children do not have access. Do not leave any product unattended.
3. Chemicals should be stored away from food, placed in a well-ventilated area, and kept away from any type of heat source (such as furnace, pilot light, stove, and water heater).
4. Acids and bases should not be stored together. Acids around the home include carbonated beverages, vinegar, batteries, and any citrus fruit.
Most cleaners found around the home are bases, including baking soda, drain cleaner, bleach, household ammonia, and detergents.
Most cleaners found around the home are bases, including baking soda, drain cleaner, bleach, household ammonia, and detergents.
5. Oxidizers cause other materials to burn. Oxidizers should never be stored near flammable substances.
Some examples:
Some examples:
- bleach
-
fertilizer
- hair dye
- hydrogen peroxide
- pool chemicals
6. Use only approved containers to store gasoline and propane.
Flammable liquids and gases should never be stored inside the house.
Flammable liquids and gases should never be stored inside the house.
Proper Disposal of Household Chemicals
Any hazardous chemical material has the potential of becoming hazardous waste and is a danger to people and animals. Improper disposal can lead to water and soil pollution.
Any water that is used to clean items in the yard of driveway is either:
Any hazardous chemical material has the potential of becoming hazardous waste and is a danger to people and animals. Improper disposal can lead to water and soil pollution.
I just painted my room and am going to use the hose outside to wash the paint rollers. Is this a good idea?
Any water that is used to clean items in the yard of driveway is either:
Being soaked up by the soil, or...
going into the storm drain
In Lesson C8
you learned that any contaminant in the soil will ultimately enter the groundwater. If you wash the paint rollers outside, any paint that soaks into the soil will contaminate water systems.
A storm drain is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets and sidewalks. Many storm drainage systems are designed to drain the storm water, untreated, into lakes, rivers, or streams. If you wash the paint rollers outside, paint will enter bodies of water and poison aquatic life.
Paint rollers should be washed in a sink so that the contaminated water can be cleaned at a water treatment plant.
A storm drain is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets and sidewalks. Many storm drainage systems are designed to drain the storm water, untreated, into lakes, rivers, or streams. If you wash the paint rollers outside, paint will enter bodies of water and poison aquatic life.
Paint rollers should be washed in a sink so that the contaminated water can be cleaned at a water treatment plant.
I have extra paint from painting my room. What should I do with it?
Paint can be recycled. Eco stations located in large centres will take paint cans that are not completely empty. In rural areas, often a chemical roundup location is set up once a year for people to bring in chemicals, oils, and leftover paints for proper disposal.
Empty paint cans should be left open so the paint can dry. The empty cans can be brought to the sanitary landfill where paint cans, can be disposed of safely—and recycled with metals.
Paint can be recycled. Eco stations located in large centres will take paint cans that are not completely empty. In rural areas, often a chemical roundup location is set up once a year for people to bring in chemicals, oils, and leftover paints for proper disposal.
Empty paint cans should be left open so the paint can dry. The empty cans can be brought to the sanitary landfill where paint cans, can be disposed of safely—and recycled with metals.
The batteries in my Wii remote are dead. Can I throw them in the trash?
When batteries are placed in a landfill site, they can leak and release lead as well as corrosive acid. Ultimately, this liquid can become a leachate and contaminate the soil if the clay and plastic landfill liners leak.
Batteries should always be recycled instead of being placed in the garbage.
When batteries are placed in a landfill site, they can leak and release lead as well as corrosive acid. Ultimately, this liquid can become a leachate and contaminate the soil if the clay and plastic landfill liners leak.
Batteries should always be recycled instead of being placed in the garbage.
We have extra bleach in the house that we aren’t going to use. Can I dump it down the drain?
All substances that go down the drain from your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room eventually enter a water treatment plant. A water treatment plant treats sewage and storm runoff so it can be returned safely to the environment.
All substances that go down the drain from your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room eventually enter a water treatment plant. A water treatment plant treats sewage and storm runoff so it can be returned safely to the environment.
If you live-in a rural area, your sewage will enter a septic system, which cannot handle toxic substances well. All sewage treatment facilities use bacteria to process some of the waste naturally and restore oxygen to the water. If undiluted
bleach is dumped down the drain, it could kill the bacteria that are used to clean the water at the water treatment plant.
Diluted bleach is used around the house when cleaning laundry and bathrooms. Diluted bleach is less damaging when it is poured down the drain and interferes less with the treatment of sewage than concentrated bleach does. Always try to use bleach rather than pour it down the drain.
Diluted bleach is used around the house when cleaning laundry and bathrooms. Diluted bleach is less damaging when it is poured down the drain and interferes less with the treatment of sewage than concentrated bleach does. Always try to use bleach rather than pour it down the drain.
May I put household chemicals in the garbage?
All household chemicals should be used completely. The empty containers should be sealed before they are placed into the garbage.
All household chemicals should be used completely. The empty containers should be sealed before they are placed into the garbage.
I have an old computer that I don’t need any more. Should I just place it in the garbage?
How do I dispose of hazardous household waste?
Many household chemicals can be recycled:
Many household chemicals can be recycled:
- antifreeze
- batteries
- paint and paint products
- oil
Alberta Environment organizes hazardous chemical disposal around the province.
Click here
to find which hazardous substances can be brought to waste collection sites.
To find where to dispose of your hazardous materials, go to Alberta’s Hotline Recycling website.
Click here
to go to Alberta's Hotline Recycling website.
The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection program is coordinated through Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development and administered by Alberta Recycling. Many rural municipalities arrange pick up of HHW annually.
Click here
to go to the Household Hazardous Waste website for more information.