Residents: Preventing Pollution At Home
Local waterways are closer than you think! Find out how to minimize your impact on them.
Lawn and Garden Care
- Use less toxic pest control products.
- Use a rake or broom - not a hose - to clean up lawn and garden clippings.
- Start a compost pile or use the curbside yard waste recycling programs.
- Divert rain spouts onto grass or landscaping.
- Pick up pet wastes and place them in the garbage.
Home Maintenance and Repair
- Avoid using toxic products, look for alternatives.
- Read the label! Know how to use and store all toxic products, including paints, cleaners and solvents.
- Recycle mercury containing products (e.g., thermometers, thermostats, and fluorescent tubes).
- Use up toxic products. If you need to throw them out take them to your Household Hazardous Waste drop off site.
- Use cat litter or other absorbent material to clean up toxic material spills from paved surfaces.
- Be sure that your cleaning company disposes wastewater to a sink, toilet or sanitary sewer cleanout--not the storm drain.
- When draining your pool or spa, pump water into a sanitary sewer cleanout.
- Rinse latex paint brushes in the sink.
- Recycle or reuse whenever it is possible.
- When working on concrete, cement or mortar, keep materials from blowing or flowing to a driveway, street, gutter or storm drain.
Apartment and Condominium Occupants
Residents of apartments and condominiums can also act to protect the local environment. Contact your local environmental program for information about recycling and preventing pollution to residents of multifamily complexes.
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