The Story of a Neighborhood Toxic Waste Site.
The Top 20 Hazardous Substances
Alternatives for Household Toxic Products
TOXIC WASTE
Some of the products we use are too toxic (poisonous or hazardous) to be simply thrown away or recycled. They must be disposed of correctly as you see to the left. Here a homeowner is dropping off household hazardous waste at an L.A. County roundup site. If not disposed of correctly, paint, pesticides, solvents, some cleaners, and heavy metals can contaminate a landfill, leak into the ground water supply, or drain to southern California beaches and contaminate the ocean.
Los Angeles city gets 15% of its water from groundwater. Some of the groundwater is already contaminated. Since only 1% of the earth's water is fresh water in the first place, preserving the remaining water supply is important. Once contaminated, the ground water may be expensive if not impossible to detoxify.
The Story of a Neighborhood Toxic Waste Site.
The Top 20 Hazardous Substances
Alternatives for Household Toxic Products
Over 1,200 industrial sites have been identified by 1990 as Super Fund sites by the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.). By 1993 about 50 sites had been cleaned up. 13
Los Angeles County operates a household toxic waste dropoff program for used motor oil, radiator fluid, batteries, paints, solvents, etc. Some gas stations collect used motor oil. However, only 5% of the toxic waste is probably collected.12
Many of these chemicals are illegaly poured down storm drains and become the single largest source of pollution in the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays. This problem is called nonpoint source pollution since it does not come from any single source such as a factory or power plant. There are several suggestions you can follow to keep trash, and garden and automotive chemicals out of storm drains.
Used motor oil alone accounts for a massive waste disposal problem. For example, Americans use about one billion gallons of motor oil each year, and 350 million gallons of that end up in the environment. That amount of used oil illegally poured into backyards and storm drains each year is equal to ten times the amount of oil spilled in the Exxon Valdez tanker accident in late 1980s. It only takes one quart of motor oil that is disposed of improperly to eventually contaminate 250,000 gallons of ground water. Recycle used motor oil as selected gas stations or toxic waste round-ups (see phone numbers below for more information). The City of Lakewood offers free oil recycling kits to its residents. The City of Los Angeles publishes an on-line household hazardous waste collection schedule, and a list of used oil collection centers.
Historically the United States has not done a very good job at recycling or detoxifying hazardous waste. Fifteen years ago about two thirds of our hazardous waste was dumped on the land, surface ponds, pits, and landfills. About 22 percent was disposed of into sewers, streams, and rivers. Only about 11 percent was recycled or detoxified. 14
If you see a possible illegal hazardous waste spill in Los Angeles, call (800) 988-6942 and report the incident. You may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
For more information on disposing of toxic waste, contact:
Pollution Prevention Information
CIWMB Toxic Info
EcoNet's Toxics Resources
| [ The Problem | Reduce | Recycle | Composting | Landfills | Incineration | Organizations ] |
Project Home: Waste Not, Want Not. Copyright © 1996 Target Science