Use Your Brain Before Pouring Anything Down the Drain

If you live in a city or town, chances are everything of wastewater treatment. Some you pour down the drain ends up at the local waste- chemicals may pass through the plant water treatment plant (WWTP). So, before you flush, and be released to a waterway in your pour or dump anything into a toilet, sink or house- community, potentially harming hold drain, think about what it might do to your human health and aquatic life. WWTP and your environment. Some Indiana communities have Your local wastewater treatment plant is designed combined sewer overflow (CSO) systems which to treat human wastes and dirty water from house- convey both wastewater and storm water to the hold activities such as bathing, showering, laundry, wastewater treatment plant through a single pipe. and dishwashing. Once treated, the clean water is During periods of heavy rain, CSOs may release safely released to a river, lake, or stream in your com- untreated wastewater directly into your local rivers, (812) 349-2867 munity. When other items – including household lakes and streams. This is an even greater threat to FAX: (812) 349-2872 chemicals – are sent to the WWTP, they can harm the human health and the environment. www.IndianaHHW.org treatment process and increase the overall cost 3400 S. Walnut St. Bloomington, IN 47401

Keep mercury out of the sink. Collect fats, oils and grease Fever thermometers are the most common from food products. household items that contain mercury. l Store in plastic or glass jars with screw l Search your home for items contain- on lids. ing mercury, and tag them properly. l Dispose of collected items with your trash. l Contact your local Indiana solid l For large quantities, contact your local waste management district for Indiana Department of Indiana solid waste management district Environmental Management disposal guidance; contact for disposal guidance, contact information information is available at is available at www.IndianaHHW.org . (800) 451-6027 www.IndianaHHW.org .

www.recycle.IN.gov l s Properly manage a mercury spill. 100 North Senate Avenue s Do not vacuum mercury; MC 64-00 IGCS W041 s Do not rinse it down the sink; Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251 Do follow the mercury spill guidance s at www.idem.IN.gov/4246.htm ; Call IDEM at (800) 451-6027.

Printed on recycled paper including post consumer fiber. Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Chart Bathroom Garage/Workshop

Alcohol-based lotions Bathroom cleaners Windshield washer solution Disinfectants preservative Keep all medications (liquids and Permanent lotions solids) out of the water supply. Do not Properly manage all household products Garden dispose of unwanted medications by pouring containing chemicals. Hair relaxers them down a drain or flushing them down a Household products that contain hazardous Medicine Fungicide toilet. Many medications cannot be removed substances become household hazardous waste polish Herbicide by wastewater treatment plants. Some of them (HHW) once the consumer no longer has a use Nail polish remover Insecticide even damage the treatment system. for it and disposes of it. Thermometers(with mercury) Pesticide l l Contact your local Indiana solid waste When in doubt, don’t pour it out. Toilet bowl cleaner Rat, mouse, gopher poison management district for disposal guid- Contact your local Indiana solid waste Tub and tile cleaner Weed killer ance. Contact information is available at management district for disposal www.IndianaHHW.org . guidance. Contact information is Garage/Workshop Here/ There l If your solid waste management district available at www.IndianaHHW.org Antifreeze does not provide collection of medi- or www.idem.IN.gov . Ammunition (Take to police or fire station) Auto body filler cations, follow these steps for disposal l Refer to the household hazardous Batteries, alkaline in your regular trash: waste disposal chart contained Batteries, auto

s Batteries, mercury-containing s Brake fluid Dissolve tablets or capsules in the original in this document. Batteries, rechargeable container with a small amount of water. For l Car with solvent liquid medications, add , kitty litter Purchase only the amount of Dry cleaning solvents Diesel fuel or flour to the original container; household chemicals necessary to Fiberglass s s the need avoid for disposal. Fuel oil Remove labels from prescription bottles or Gun cleaning solvents completely mark out all patient information; Gasoline s

s Lighter fluid Put all lids back on the containers tightly Glue (solvent based) and put them in a heavy-duty sealed bag. Moth balls Glue (water based) Tight lids and sealed bags will help keep Photographic chemicals Kerosene the medications from leaking out; and Septic tank degreasers s s Metal polish with solvent Put the sealed bag in your trash so that it Shoe polish is not visible from outside the trash bag to Mineral spirits Smoke alarms (Return to manufacturer) discourage unintended use. Motor oil Swimming pool chemicals – latex, dried hard Thermostats(mercury ampule inside) Paint – latex, still liquid Safe Disposal Guide Paint – oil based Kitchen Paint – auto This symbol represents products that can be safely poured down the Paint brush cleaner w/solvent Aerosol cans – empty drain with plenty of water. (Homeowners using septic tanks should consider alternate disposal and try to purchase these items sparingly.) Paint brush cleaner w/TSP* Aerosol cans – full Paint thinner Ammonia-based cleaners This symbol represents products that can be disposed of in the garbage. Paint stripper Drain cleaners Primer Fats, oils and grease Rust remover Floor care products

(potentially containing mercury) Furniture polish This symbol indicates you should contact your local household Switches hazardous waste (HHW) program for proper disposal instructions. Transmission fluid Metal polish Turpentine Oven cleaner

*Trisodium phosphate