Many of us are aware of the three different colors of garbage bins: blue for recycle, green for organics and black for landfill. But there are many wastes that do not belong to either of these bins, and we must handle these wastes carefully.
Medical Waste
There are several reasons why one might have medical waste at home. From having in-home care, to manufacturing products via at home, the list can widely range. For these people who have medical biohazardous waste at their home, it is essential that they dispose of their medical waste properly. Without proper disposal of medical waste at your home, you risk living in a risky and contaminated environment.
Medical waste includes sharps (needles, syringes or lancets), soiled or bloody gauze, gloves, bandages, expired or unwanted medicines and body fluids. Medical waste should be placed in a sealed bag or a container and transported to the nearest biohazrdous waste center for disposal.
Electronic Waste
Electronic waste is waste from any electronics which includes mobile phones, computers, television sets, electronic office equipment and any other electronic entertainment devices. Electronic waste cannot be discarded at our household garbage bin because it may consist of toxic substances such as mercury, lead, beryllium, brominated flame retardants (BGRs) and cadmium.
The best way to discard electronic waste is to donate to a nearby certified E-waste recycler. Computers, cell phones and tablets are used to store personal information. Before donating or recycling your equipment, remember to remove all sensitive and personal information from its memory. Note that simply using your keyboard or mouse to delete files does not necessarily completely remove the information from your device’s memory. Your local software store can provide you with the necessary drive cleaning software appropriate for your system.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is unwanted material or products that can cause illness or death to people, plants and animals. Household hazardous waste can be found anywhere in your home; in the kitchen, bathroom or laundry room, and storage areas like the garden shed, garage, basement, and attic. Many common household products contain hazardous chemicals. Once released, these chemicals are free to contaminate our body, home and the environment.
Common hazardous waste are batteries, paints, garden chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers), swimming pool chemicals, fluorescent lights and automotive products (motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, polish and waxes). These hazardous waste can’t be thrown out with the garbage, recycling or organics. Before tossing it out, check the label. If it’s marked Danger, Warning, Poisonous, Toxic, or Flammable, it’s hazardous and requires special handling. Please take hazardous items to one of the County’s free drop-off facilities.
When waste is disposed of properly, it helps to prevent additional pollution which can improve public health . Polluted air increases the risk of respiratory illness . Waste that is properly disposed of has a lesser chance of getting into the water supply and causing illness. Let’s dump our trash in the proper trash bin!
