|
|
 Washington
County
Urban Home*A*Syst
Automotive Products - Storage and Handling
How do you know which automotive products are hazardous? Read the label. If a
product contains a hazardous substance, the front label must include a warning
and a description of the hazard. The label will also include instructions for
safe handling and use, the common or chemical name and first aid instructions.
Automotive products often have one or more of the following features:
Ignitable – capable of burning or causing a fire.
Corrosive – capable of eating away materials and destroying living
tissue when contact occurs.
Explosive – can cause an explosion or release poisonous fumes when
exposed to air, water or other chemicals.
Toxic – poisonous, either immediately (acutely toxic) or over a long
period of time (chronically toxic).
The products we use to help us with automotive maintenance are not
necessarily bad. We do need to be careful how we use the products and how we
store and dispose of them.
Use the following table to identify areas in your garage, shop or automotive
maintenance area where you could improve your handling of automotive products.
Then turn to the following sections for specific tips.
| |
Low Risk |
Medium Risk |
High Risk |
Your Risk |
| Automotive or equipment maintenance fluid
drips and spills |
These are contained on a paved area and
cleaned up with sawdust or oil-dry, then sent to a landfill |
Clean up bigger spills with sawdust and throw
it in the back yard away from storm drains. Usually contained on
paved area. |
Maintenance area is near a storm drain or
waterway. Let the drips and spills wash away. |
High
Medium
Low |
| Gasoline or other fuel storage |
Try not to store fuel around my home unless I
plan to use it soon. |
Fuel is stored in a labeled container in the
garage near other automotive products. |
Keep fuel stored in an old mild jug out back.
Pour out the old stuff every once in a while and go get new. |
High
Medium
Low |
| Oil and lubricant disposal |
Have my oil changed at the garage, and they
collect the used oil for recycling. |
Change my own oil. Reuse it for
lubrication. Us4ed oil is stored near the rest of my automotive
products. |
Change my own oil. Pour the used oil
around the back fence for weed control. |
High
Medium
Low |
| Vehicle batteries |
Have my battery changed at the automotive
department and leave my old one with them for recycling. |
Change my own batteries and keep old ones in
the shed out back. Hope to recycle them some day |
Change my own batteries and stack my old ones
in the back corner of the yard. |
High
Medium
Low |
| Anti-freeze storage |
Have mine changed at the station or take used
anti-freeze to recycling center.. |
Change mine at home. Store excess and
used anti-freeze in my garage in a plastic container. |
Change mine at home on the yard. Pour
the old stuff into the storm drain or over the back fence. |
High
Medium
Low |
If you rated a “medium” or “high” risk in any of the areas
above read through the following section.
If you rated only “low” risks, congratulations and keep up the good
work. You may skip to the next section.
Automotive/Equipment
Maintenance Products
Potentially hazardous substances that are categorized as automotive/equipment
maintenance products are batteries, motor oil, grease and other lubricants,
antifreeze and gasoline and related petroleum products.
While Handling Automotive Products:
- Read and follow the directions.
- Wear protective clothing, if necessary.
- Make sure your work area is well ventilated.
- Seal products tightly before storage.
- Do not smoke, eat or drink when using these products.
- Be sure to warn children about the dangers of these products.
If Extra Products Must Be Stored:
- Use only approved storage containers for storing any fuels.
- Be sure fuel storage containers are clearly marked.
- Store oil and anti-freeze products in the original container.
- Keep oil-dry or other absorbent material near storage site in case of
spills.
- Store products away from children and pets.
- Store products away from any flammable materials or sources.
- Do not store petroleum products near commercial fertilizers.
When Disposing of Excess Automotive Products:
- Do not mix products unless you are sure it is safe.
- Do not flush any petroleum products down your sink or toilet.
- Never dump or bury petroleum products.
- Do not pour fuels, oils or anti-freeze into ditches, storm drains or
gutters.
- DO RECYCLE products and containers whenever possible.
Keys to Reducing the Hazards of Automotive Products
- Purchase only what you need or reasonably expect to use in a short time.
It may not really be saving money to purchase the large quantity if it ends
up just sitting around the garage for long periods of time.
- Be aware of the dangers (mostly flammability) of the products you
purchase and store these products accordingly.
- Products should be stored in their original container if at all
possible. If products are transferred to another container for storage, make
sure it is labeled. This lets others know what is involved in the case of an
accident.
- If a product must be disposed of, do so according to label directions or
take to an approved recycling center.
- Regional HHW round-ups and the permanent HHW facilities provide a free,
safe and environmentally sound means of disposal for certain unneeded
products. The following items are accepted: automotive products (motor oils,
oil filters, brake and transmission fluids), automotive batteries, paints,
thinners, strippers, non-chlorinated solvents, household pesticides and
herbicides, fluorescent bulbs and dry cell batteries.
- Excess automotive products should not be burned. Many of these products
are highly flammable or even explosive.
How Do You Manage Your Vehicle and Yard Equipment Maintenance Area?
- The design and location of the vehicle and yard equipment
maintenance area is important. Even small drips and spills of vehicle
fluids (gasoline, motor oil, transmission fluid, etc.) can add up to a
problem for groundwater.
- Try to avoid maintenance
activities close to storm drains. Use a location where spills and drips
from your vehicles and equipment can be contained.
- Use a
drip pan to collect oil during changes. Then take it to a center for
proper disposal. Make sure the filter has drained properly also.
-
Soak up small drips and spills with sawdust or kitty litter and then
dispose of this material in a safe area away from any surface water
supply or well, preferably in a sanitary landfill.
-
Containers that held oil can be disposed of at an approved sanitary
landfill.
How Do You Use and Dispose of Oil and Lubricants Around Your House?
- Always store and work with oil, grease and other lubricants away
from storm drains and other waterways.
- Store waste oil in
closed, labeled containers (plastic milk jugs work well) until you can
take the oil to be recycled.
- Service stations often
accept limited amounts of used oil or can inform you of places that do
accept it.
- Disposing of used oil around your homestead,
such as on driveways or around buildings and fences, can lead to
contamination of your family’s or a neighbor’s drinking water supply.
-
Used motor oil contains organic chemicals and metals. A small amount of
oil can contaminate large quantities of groundwater.
- It
is illegal to use oil for road oiling and dust control.
-
One gallon of motor oil can pollute 1,000,000 gallons of water.
How Do You Dispose of
Your Antifreeze?
- Pouring antifreeze on the ground or into a ditch can lead to
ingestion by pets, seepage into the groundwater supply or contamination
of surface water sources.
- Antifreeze contains chemicals
which are poisonous to animals and humans. Pets will lap up an
antifreeze puddle because it tastes sweet. This is often fatal.
Therefore, it is very important to store your antifreeze in a safe
place, secured from children and pets.
- Do not pour your
antifreeze into storm drains or onto the ground. Used or excess
antifreeze should be recycled. Antifreeze cannot be disposed of in a
sanitary landfill.
Do You Recycle Your
Vehicle Batteries?
- Vehicle batteries contain lead and sulfuric acid. A battery contains
approximately 18 pounds of toxic metals and a gallon of corrosive acids.
-
Batteries should be stored in a safe, dry place out of direct sunlight,
out of reach of children and pets.
- Vehicle batteries cannot
be disposed of in landfills. The only satisfactory way to dispose of old
batteries is to recycle them.
- All stores that sell
batteries will take back used batteries. Some service stations and scrap
metal dealers will also take used batteries. Contact the Washington
County Cooperative Extension Service (444-1755) or the 4-County Regional
Division of Solid Waste Management (444-1860) for more information on
where to recycle automotive batteries.
How Do You
Store and Use Gasoline and Other Fuels?
- Petroleum products are among the most hazardous substances found
around the home.
- Fuels should always be stored in labeled
containers.
- Never store gasoline, lubricating sprays,
starting fluids or other flammable automotive products near open flames
such as pilot lights on hot water heaters or wall furnaces. (This
includes the lawn mower if it is left in the garage with fuel in the
tank.)
- Fuels should not be stored where they can come in
contact with commercial fertilizers.
- Store these products
in closed containers in an area where leaks or spills will not enter
waterways.
- Keep absorbent materials handy near fuel storage
in case of accidental spills.
- You can use up old fuels by
diluting one part old fuel with five parts new fuel to protect your
engine.
- If disposal of old fuel is necessary, small
amounts may be taken to a service station or hazardous waste collection
event.
- Contact the local Health Department (521-8181) for
the proper procedures for disposing of large quantities of fuel.
This chapter was written by Elaine Andrews, University of Wisconsin
Cooperative Extension Service; Wilma S. Hammett, Deana L. Osmond and Janet
Young, North Carolina Cooperative Extension. It was adapted for Urban Home*A*Syst
by John Gunsaulis, Washington County Cooperative Extension Service, University
of Arkansas.
Back to Urban Home*A*Syst
|
