Earth Day 2003 - Reducing Solid and Hazardous Waste

Region 8 Library Pages

Technical Library - Environmental Information Center

Honor the Earth with One Small Change

Reducing Solid & Hazardous Waste

The Environmental Information Service Center (EISC) has received many phone calls and e-mails from people who are concerned about the environment, but they believe that any individual actions they take will not be make much of a difference. In response to these concerns, EISC has developed four fact sheets that outline small steps an individual can take to help improve the environment.

(1) Reducing air emissions;
(2) Reducing pesticide and herbicide use;
(3) Reducing solid and hazardous waste; and
(4) Protecting the water supply

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Concerns about solid and hazardous waste

Each person in this country discards about four pounds of material a day, which adds up to about 1,400 pounds per person per year. Disposing this mountain of material is a burden both to the environment and to the economy. Some household products that are currently being thrown into the trash contain hazardous components. Examples of these include paints, some cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides.

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Small changes that can reduce solid and hazardous waste

Reduce, reuse and recycle instead of throwing waste in the trash

When you go grocery shopping, bring your own canvas bags. Assuming that a person goes grocery shopping once a week and fills four bags at each trip, you could reduce your waste by 260 shopping bags each year (a total of 1,300 bags after five years).

Purchase items that can be used over and over, instead of throw-away items. For instance, you could use cloth towels and napkins instead of paper. You could also purchase rechargeable batteries and refillable lighters.

Consider large or economy-sized items for household products that are used frequently. Larger sizes have less packaging per unit of product.

Donate old, but still usable, materials to charities or thrift shops instead of throwing them away.

Look for items in packages and containers made of recycled materials. Many bottles, cans, paper wrappings, bags, cereal boxes and other cartons and packages are made from recycled materials.

Learn how to compost food scraps and yard trimmings. If you don't have room for a compost pile, you can offer compost materials to community composting programs, or to community gardens near you.

If you have a lawn, allow the grass clippings to remain on the lawn to decompose and return nutrients to the soil, rather than bagging and disposing of them.

Reduce the toxicity of household waste

Consider the following alternatives to traditional household cleaners:

Household cleaner	Alternative
Drain cleaner	Use a plunger or a plumber's snake.
Oven cleaner	Clean spills as soon as the oven is cool using steel wool and baking soda; for tough stains add salt. [Note: Do not use this method in self-cleaning or continuous-cleaning ovens.]
Glass cleaner	Mix one tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in one quart of water. Spray on and use newspaper to dry.
Toilet bowl cleaner	Use toilet bowl brush and baking soda or vinegar. [Note: This will clean but not disinfect.]
Furniture polish	Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice in one pint of mineral or vegetable oil, and wipe furniture.
Rug deodorizer	Deodorize dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Wait at least 15 minutes and vacuum. Repeat if necessary.
Silver polish	Use non-abrasive toothpaste.
Mothballs	Use cedar chips, lavender flowers, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns.
Flea and tick products	Put brewer's yeast or garlic in your pet's food. Sprinkle fennel, rue, rosemary, or eucalyptus seeds or leaves around animal sleeping area.

Consider purchasing "environmentally friendly" household products. For instance, you could purchase cleaners that are biodegradable. Or, you could buy paints that do not contain volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).

Did you decide to make one small change to reduce solid and hazardous waste? If so, please send us an e-mail describing what small change you intend to make: r8eisc@epa.gov We will send you a response e-mail summarizing the cumulative benefits to the environment from your small change. We will show you how powerful one person can be.

Return to Honor the Earth home page.

Environmental Information Service Center,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street, 8OC-L
Denver, CO 80202-2466
Phone: (303) 312-6312