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AND IRRITATES YOUR SKIN AND EYES.
LESS THAN 1% OF HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE
IS CONSIDERED TO BE HAZARDOUS WASTE.
BUT NATIONWIDE, THAT ONE PERCENT ADDS UP TO ABOUT A MILLION TONS
OF TOXIC TRASH EVERY YEAR.
THE HOUSEHOLDS GENERATE MORE HAZARDOUS WASTE,
OR MORE WASTE WITH TOXIC HAZARDOUS CONSTITUENTS
THAN ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS PUT TOGETHER.
>> I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 33 YEARS AND I'VE SEEN
MORE HAZARDOUS WASTE OUT HERE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.
BEGLEY: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE CREATES A REAL DANGER
FOR GARBAGE COLLECTORS.
ED
TO CARL KUHN IN QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1985.
KUHN: WE WERE THROWING RUBBISH IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND
WE STARTED GETTING A LOT OF
SMOKE AND EVERYTHING IN
THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND
THE MEN COULDN'T BREATHE
AND THEN THE LIQUID CAME OUT AND GOT ALL OVER ME
AND GOT ON MY CLOTHES.
>> THE WIND'S STARTING TO PICK UP.
OKAY, PLEASE, OVER HERE.
BEGLEY: THE INCIDENT WOUND UP ON THE EVENING NEWS.
MES.
FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO SEARCH THROUGH THE GARBAGE FOR CLUES.
KUHN: THEY HAD A TALK WITH THE ELDERLY WOMAN THAT HAD
CLEANED OUT HER CELLAR AND SHE SAID SHE HAD THROWN OUT
CHEMICALS THAT HER HUSBAND USED TO USE IN THE GARDEN
AS LONG AS 40 YEARS AGO.
WHEN THE CREOSOTE MIXED WITH THE ARSENIC
IT CREATED ALL THE FUMES
AND WE HAD TO DUMP THE LOAD RIGHT IN THE STREET.
MANY PRODUCTS HAVE WARNING LABELS ON THE BACK.
FOR EXAMPLE, CLEANERS WITH AMMONIA WARN YOU
NOT TO MIX THEM WITH A PRODUCT CONTAINING CHLORINE BLEACH.
BUT IN THE TRASH, YOU CAN GET SOME UNPREDICTABLE COMBINATIONS.
HERE'S QUIZ QUESTION NUMBER 2:
TO SEE JUST HOW DANGEROUS POOL CHLORINE CAN BE,
WE ARRANGED A LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION.
>> I'M NOW GOING TO POUR
THE POOL CHLORINE IN.
WE'LL TAKE A SIZABLE AMOUNT TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE WANT
HAVE HAPPEN HERE.
BEGLEY: WILLIAM LESTER IS A CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN BERKELEY.
LESTER: OKAY NOW I'M GOING TO POUR SOME BRAKE FLUID,
SMALL AMOUNT, ONTO THE TRAY AND SEE WHAT THE REACTION IS
BEGLEY: THIS EXPERIMENT WAS PERFORMED UNDER
LABORATORY CONDITIONS WITH SAFETY EQUIPMENT NEARBY.
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.
LESTER: WE'RE NOW GOING TO DO ANOTHER EXPERIMENT.
L
A SOFT DRINK AND SEE WHAT THIS REACTION TURNS OUT TO BE.
NOW THINK ABOUT THAT.
D WITH
A SOFT DRINK WE MIGHT PURCHASE
AND POSSIBLY EMPTY HALF WAY
AND TH PITCH IT AWAY
AND IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO COME IN CONTACT WITH POOL CHLORINE.
WHAT WE'LL SEE IS THAT SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN.
BEGLEY: THIS REACTION RELEASED A CLOUD OF DEADLY CHLORINE GAS.
THIS EXPERIMENT WAS PERFORMED IN A LABORATORY
AND SHOULD NOT BE TRIED AT HOME.
LESTER: I THINK IN MANY INSTANCES PEOPLE THINK
THEY DO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HAZARDS ARE
AND ALL TOO OFTEN THEY DON'T.
SO IT'LL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS TO SEE
WHAT KINDS OF CONSEQUENCES CAN ARISE WHEN PEOPLE ARE CARELESS
IN TERMS OF DISPOSAL.
THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT EXPERTS CALL
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
IT INCLUDES JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN YOUR CAR,
LIKE GASOLINE AND OIL AND ANTIFREEZE.
AND THINGS YOU USE TO FIX UP THE HOME AND GARDEN,
LIKE PAINT AND GLUE AND PESTICIDES.
THE LIST ALSO INCLUDES THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF,
LIKE OVEN CLEANER AND HOBBY CHEMICALS,
FLEA POWDER FOR YOUR DOG, EVEN NAIL POLISH AND SOME TYPES
OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE.
SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY PROBLEMS
WITH HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM.
YOUR TOXIC TRASH CAN
>> EVERYBODY THROWS ANYTHING OUT HERE.
JUST TAKE IT TO THE LANDFILL AND DUMP IT, YOU KNOW.
ñ
THE LANDFILL AND THEN WE HAVE TO
COME ACROSS THE STUFF.
BEGLEY: QUIZ QUESTION 3:
THIS WASN'T ALWAYS THE CORRECT ANSWER.
NEWSPAPERS USED TO BE THE!BIG SOURCE OF LEAD BECAUSE OF
THE LEAD IN BLACK NEWSPAPER INK.
PUBLISHERS STOPPED USING LEAD IN 1975
SO NOW THE CORRECT ANSWER IS CAR BATTERIES.
THEY ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF THE LEAD IN U.S. LANDFILLS.
>> THIS IS MODERN ARCHAEOLOGY.
SEE, YOU GOT SHOVELS, YOU GOT DIRT, YOU GOT SAMPLING UNITS.
BEGLEY: THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GARBAGE PROJECT
HAS BEEN DIGGING DEEP INSIDE AMERICA'S LANDFILLS
TO LEARN WHAT HAPPENS TO TRASH AFTER IT'S BURIED.
>> ONCE THE STUFF IS IN A LANDFILL ESPECIALLY IF IT'S BEEN
THERE 5 OR 10 OR 20 OR 30 YEARS, THE CONTAINER THAT IT'S IN HAS
THE FLUIDS, THE LIQUIDS, THE
MATERIALS THEMSELVES, ARE GONE.
BEGLEY: THE LIQUIDS THEN MIX WITH RAINWATER AND SINK
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LANDFILL,
FORMING A TOXIC SOUP CALLED LEACHATE.
LEACHATE CAN POISON LOCAL DRINKING WATER IF IT GETS
THROUGH SMALL CRACKS IN THE LANDFILL LINER.
RATHJE: WE SHOULDN'T BE TOO CONCERNED FOR MOST LANDFILLS
THAT ARE KEPT DRY.
BUT IF YOU DO GET WATER PERCOLATING THROUGH THEM,
IT'S UNGODLY EXPENSIVE TO DECONTAMINATE IT
AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.
BEGLEY: THERE ARE COMPETING THEORIES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
EXPERTS AGREE THAT USED MOTOR OIL AND PAINT THINNER
DO NOT BELONG IN LANDFILLS.
BUT MANUFACTURERS OF PESTICIDES AND HOME CLEANERS
SAY THEIR PRODUCTS POSE NO DISPOSAL THREAT.
OUR PRODUCTS ARE A VERY
SMALL PERCENT OF,
USEHOLD
ARE A VERY, VERY SMALL PERCENT
OF AMERICA'S TRASH.
BEGLEY: THE HOME CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CALLS HOUSEHOLD
HAZARDOUS WASTE THE "LITTLE PROBLEM IN AMERICA" BECAUSE
IT'S LESS THAN 1% OF AMERICA'S TRASH.
THAT'S VERY SMALL NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE DISPERSING
THROUGHOUT THE LANDFILLS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND INDEED, NOT AFFECTING THE GROUND WATER THROUGH LEACHATE.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE IS
1% OF THE WEIGHT OF THE
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE STREAM.
BUT IT IS A LARGE PERCENT OF THE TOXICITY
OF THE MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE STREAM.
TOXICITY IS WHAT WILL HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND
A PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED.
BEGLEY: DANA DUXBURY IS A BIOLOGIST.
FROM HER OFFICE IN ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, SHE HAS SPARKED
A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO COLLECT AND RECYCLE
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OVEN CLEANERS AND DRAIN CLEANERS,
THERE ARE CAUTIONARY WORDS ON THESE PRODUCTS.
IF IT'S A CONCERN WHEN YOU USE IT,
ONE MIGHT THINK THAT IT COULD BE
ALSO A CONCERN WHEN YOU DISPOSE OFT.
BEGLEY: SCIENTISTS LIKE DUXBURY POINT TO THE EXXON VDEZ OIL
STE
IS NOT A LITTLE PROBLEM.
QUIZ QUESTION NUMBER 4:
DO-IT-YOURSELF MECHANICS DUMP 94 MILLION GALLONS OF OIL
EVERY YEAR -- NEARLY NINE TIMES THE AMOUNT SPILLED
BY THE EXXON VALDEZ.
YOU USED TO THROW IT ON TOP OF WEEDS AND AROUND THE EDGE
OF FENCES TO KEEP ALL THE GRASS DOWN,
BUT YOU DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
THERE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF LAWN MOWER OIL IN THERE TOO.
BEGLEY: MOST PEOPLE HAD NO CHOICE FOR THEIR USED MOTOR OIL
UNTIL STORES LIKE CHIEF AUTO PARTS IN DALLAS DEVELOPED
PROGRAMS TO HANDLE IT PROPERLY.
>> WE STARTED THE PROGRAM REALLY FOR TWO REASONS.
ONE WAS WE DID SEE ON THE
HORIZON LEGISLATION THAT
COULD SOMEDAY REQUIRE THAT ANY
RETAILER THAT SOLD OIL HAD TO HAVE A PROGRAM TO BRING IT BACK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE FELT VERY STRONG ABOUT WAS THAT
PEOPLE WOULD NOT RECYCLE THEIR OIL IF IT WAS NOT EASY.
AND SINCE WE HAD CONVENIENCE STORES AND WE HAD
SO MANY OF THEM, THEY COULD EASILY COME IN
AND JUST DROP IT OFF.
IT WOULDN'T BE A HASSLE.
BEGLEY: IN MANY CITIES, DOING THE RIGHT THING WITH
TOXIC TRASH CAN BE A BIG HASSLE.
HERE'S QUESTION 5: WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU
WERE STEVE CLEGHORN WHO ALSO LIVES NEAR DALLAS?
CLEGHORN: WE JUST BOUGHT THIS BOAT ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND
THE GASOLINE THAT'S IN IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN THERE
FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND GASOLINE
BREAKS DOWN, YOU DON'T WANT
TO RUN IT BACK
THROUGH A MOTOR AGAIN.
SO I'M HAVING TO DRAIN THE GASOLINE.
AND MY PROBLEM WAS WHAT TO DO WITH
NCE AINED.
HA! GOTCHA! THIS IS A TRICK QUESTION. SORRY.
THE ANSWER IS ACTUALLY NONE OF THE ABOVE.
ALL T■ESE CHOICES ARE DANGEROUS.
WHAT SHOULD STEVE CLEGHORN DO?
HE CALLED A SERVICE STATION FOR ADVICE.
THEY SAID JUST TAKE IT OUT AND DUMP IT SOMEWHERE.
JUST KILL SOME GRASS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IT'D KILL A LOT MORE THAN GRASS
IF EVERYBODY STARTED DOING IT.
BEGLEY: CLEGHORN KEPT
HE DROVE 40-MILES TO A COMPANY CALLED H.E.A.T.,
WHICH CONVERTS INDUSTRIAL WASTE INTO FUEL,
AND ACCEPTS FLAMMABLE HOUSEHOLD WASTE.
>> WE'RE DOING A COMMUNITY SERVICE TO HOPEFULLY
KEEP PEOPLE FROM PUTTING
ANYTHING INTO THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT COULD CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS
LATER ON IN THE FUTURE.
>> RIGHT N WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE CHECK THE pH OF THE MATERIAL
TO SEE IF IT'S CORROSIVE OR NOT, BECAUSE WE CANNOT
TAKE CORROSIVE MATERIAL.
IT INDICATES THIS IS NEUTRAL SO WE CAN TAKE THIS MATERIAL.
BEGLEY: STEVE CLEGHORN'S OLD GASOLINE WAS MIXED WITH OTHER
RECYCLED FUEL AND BURNED AT A CEMENT KILN.
GO RIGHT AHEAD AND PULL ON UP HERE
AND THEY'LL TAKE IT FROM YOU.
I LOVE YOU THIS MORNING.
BEGLEY: SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE MADE IT EASY TO SAFELY DISPOSE
OF ALL TYPES OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
THIS IS TUCSON, WHERE ONCE A MONTH PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF
HAZARDOUS WASTE AT SELECTED FIRE STATIONS.
MY FATHER-IN-LAW PASSED AWAY ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND
WE'RE CLEANING OUT HIS WORKSHOP.
AND HE STORED EVERYTHING, SAVED EVERYTHING.
SO WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE TOXIC STUFF.
BEGLEY: MORE THAN 200 CARS PASS THROUGH THIS SITE
ON A TYPICAL SATURDAY MORNING.
WANT THESE?
JUST BATTERIES?
JUST BATTERIES.
OKAY, HAVE YOU USED OUR FACILITY BEFORE?
YES, UH HUH.
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS HAVE TO BE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY,
SO WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IT.
BEGLEY: TUCSON BRINGS THE WASTE TO A CENTRAL PROCESSING STATION.
HERE IT'S PREPARED FOR RECYCLING OR PROPER DISPOSAL.
ú
WHAT YOU'LL FIND.
PEOPLE USED TO USE MERCURY
TO GET THE LEAD
OUT OF GUN BARRELS.
THEY STARTED BRINGING MERCURY
INTO US CAUSE THEY'D JUST KEEP IT IN THEIR GUN CLEANING CASE.
HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS
WIND UP IN THE HOME.
AND YOU DON'T THINK OF THIS RIGHT AWAY.
NGING IN ASIONAL
CHEMISTRY SET, BUT INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS WIND UP IN THE HOME
HAZARDOUS WASTE OUT OF AMERICA'S TRASH.
SEVERAL STATES HAVE BANNED THINGS LIKE OIL AND PAINT
AND BATTERIES FROM LANDFILLS.
IN SEATTLE, OFFICIALS ARE EVEN WORRIED ABOUT HAZARDOUS WASTE
IN THE CITY SEWERS.
A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD DUMPING
SOMETHING IN THEIR TOILET OR
DOWN THE DRAIN -- PROBABLY WE'RE
NOT GOING TO SEE THAT EFFECT.
BUT IN OUR SYSTEM WE'VE GOT HALF A MILLION HOUSEHOLDS.
IF EVERY ONE OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS DUMPED A CUP OF PAINT THINNER
DOWN THE DRAIN, WE'D SEE 37 THOUSAND GALLONS OF
A TOXIC ORGANIC CHLORINATEó ORGANIC CHEMICAL
COME THROUGH OUR TREATMENT PLANT.
BEGLEY: TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON BUILT
AMERICA'S FIRST HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTEMOBILE.
ñ
EVERY TWO WEEKS.
PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF THEIR WASTE AND LEARN
ABOUT USING NONTOXIC PRODUCTS.
WE ARE WORKING NOT ONLY TO
PROVIDE A CONVENIENT COLLECTION
BUT ALSO TO EDUCATE THEM
ABOUT THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE.
BEGLEY: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES PROGRAMS LIKE THESE,
TRADITIONALLY SOLID WASTE
ISSUES HAVE BEEN SOLVED AT
THSTATE AND LOCAL LEVEL.
THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
THESE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE BEST IDEA OF WHAT THE PROBLEMS
ARE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HOW BEST TO SOLVE THEM.
BEGLEY: HOWEVER, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ARE DEVELOPING
DIFFERENT RULES ABOUT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO LABEL
FOR DISPOSAL IN STATE "A"
DIFFERENT THAN STATE "B,"
DIFFERENT THAN STATE
"C," "D," "E" AND "F,"
IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE YOU CAN'T REALLY EFFECTIVELY
DEAL IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
AND THAT HAS HAPPENED.
BEGLEY: THE IDEA BEHIND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
COLLECTION IS TO RECYCLE AS MUCH TOXIC TRASH AS POSSIBLE,
PLE
THAT BRINGS US TO QUIZ QUESTION 6:
>> MOST OF THE MATERIALS THAT
ARE BEING COLLECTED TODAY
ARE BEING REUSED OR RECYCLED.
A GREAT DEAL IS BEING SENT
TO BE FUEL BLENDED AND BURNT AS A SOURCE OF FUEL.
SOME OF IT IS BEING SENT TO HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT
FACILITIES, WASTE WATER TREATMENT OR HAZARDOUS
WASTE INCINERATION.
AND LESS THAN 5% IS BEING ACTUALLY SENT TO
A HAZARDOUS WASTE LAFILL.
AND THAT'S MATERIAL THAT YOU CAN'
BEGLEY: ABOUT HALF THE WASTE THAT PEOPLE BRING IN IS PAINT.
AND IT CREATES SPECIAL PROBLEMS.
QUIZ QUESTION NUMBER 7:
FINDING ANOTHER USE FOR THE PAINT AROUND YOUR HOME
IS THE BEST CHOICE OF ALL.
DONATING IT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN USE IT IS ALSO A GOOD OPTION.
MANY PEOPLE BRING OLD PAINT TO HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
CENTERS FOR RECYCLING.
BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT BULKING OLD PAINT TOGETHER GIVES YOU
A PRODUCT THAT MOST PEOPLE WON'T BUY.
A COMPANY NEAR BOSTON IS TRYING TO SOLVE THAT.
>> SOLID COLOR STAINS COMBUSTIBLE AND IT'S OIL.
>> WE WANT THE PRODUCT IN ITS ORIGINAL CONTAINERS.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE BULKING IT ON SITE.
IF YOU TAKE IT ALL ON SITE,
N
DRUM, WHAT YOU'LL GET IS A GRAY
UTILITY PAINT, WHETHER IT'S
LATEX OR OIL BASE.
THE MARKET VALUE OF THAT TYPE OF PRODUCT,
AND THE MARKET ITSELF, IS VERY LIMITED.
>> THIS IS COMBUSTIBLE SO IT'S OIL.
BEGLEY: THE PAINT COMPANY HAS TURNED
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE INTO AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
THE COMPANY GETS PAID TO HAUL AWAY PAINT FROM COLLECTION
PROGRAMS IN THE ORIGINAL CANS.
WITH THESE FREE RAW MATERIALS, THE COMPANY CAN AFFORD THE LABOR
TO BLEND A MORE MARKETABLE VARIETY OF RECYCLED PAINT.
MANY PAINT MANUFACTURERS, ESPECIALLY THE LARGER ONES
THESE DAYS ARE AUTOMATED.
TO TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS INTO THEIR FACTORY
AND REPROCESS IT WOULD BE CONTRAR REALLY
TO THEIR CURRENT PROCEDURE.
IT'S REALLY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF BUSINESS WHEN
YOU GET INTO RECYCLING.
BEGLEY: SO COMPANIES ARE REMOVING DANGEROUS ELEMENTS
FROM THEIR PRODUCTS TO MAKE THEM SAFE FOR DISPOSAL.
FOR EXAMPLE, MANY TYPES OF BATTERIES NO LONGER
CONTAIN MERCURY.
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE DEVELOPING SHOPPING LISTS
>> THE CONSUMER HAS BASICALLY BEEN PROVIDED WITH A CHEMICAL
FOR EVERY PURPOSE AND I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN A BIT LAZY.
BEGLEY: PHILIP DICKEY IS A PhD NUCLEAR PHYSICIST WHO WORKS
FOR THE WASHINGTON TOXICS COALITION IN SEATTLE.
HE'S USING HIS TECHNICAL TRAINING TO INVESTIGATE
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS AND SUGGEST LESS TOXIC ALTERNATIVES.
WITH SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVES,
IF YOU DO YOUR CLEANING
MORE OFTEN, YOU CAN USE
A LESS TOXIC PRODUCT,
AND I THINK THE TOTAL TIME THAT YOU SPEND
OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS MAY NOT BE THAT MUCH GREATER.
BUT PERHAPS YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BEGLEY: THERE ARE DOZENS OF BOOKLETS AND PAMPHLETS WITH
NONTOXIC HOUSEHOLD SUGGESTIONS.
AS WELL, MANY PRODUCTS CLAIM TO BE SAFE TO USE AND DISCARD.
WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL QUIZ QUESTION:
SOME PRODUCTS THAT SAY NONTOXIC ON THE LABEL ACTUALLY CONTAIN
TOXIC CHEMICALS BUT IN SMALL AMOUNTS THAT WON'T HURT PEOPLE
DURING NORMAL USE.
I THINK CONSUMERS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONFUSED
BY PRODUCTS THAT HAVE LABELS SAYING NONTOXIC,
NATURAL, BIODEGRADABLE.
SOME MANUFACTURERS ARE BEGINNING TO PUT LOGOS ON THEIR PRODUCTS
THAT SAY "EARTH FRIENDLY" OR SOMETHING OF THAT SORT.
AND SOME OF THESE LOGOS LOOK FAIRLY OFFICIAL AND I THINK
8
IONS.
BEGLEY: THERE ARE PLENTY OF HOME-SPUN ALTERNATIVES TO
USING TOXIC PRODUCTS, BUT SOME OF THE IDEAS
ARE A BIT FAR-FETCHED.
DICKEY: ONE I CAME ACROSS ON A LIST WAS POLISHING YOUR SHOES
WITH BANANA PEELS.
I TRIED THAT, BOTH SIDES OF THE BANANA PEELS, AND
IT DIDN'T WORK.
I HAVE TRIED SOME OF
THE ALTERNATIVES, EVEN
THE ALTERNATIVES LISTED BY EPA
IN SOME OF ITS DOCUMENTS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE WORKED FOR ME;
SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY ADVICE I CAN GIVE TO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW,
IS TRY THEM YOURSELF.
AND IF THEY WORK, GREAT.
BUT THEY DO NOT ALWAYS WORK.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE CLOSE THE TOXIC TRASH QUIZ.
THE BEST ADVICE SEEMS TO BE:
A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS SEEM OVERWHELMING, BUT THIS IS
ONE PROBLEM WE CAN SOLVE IF EVERYONM DOES THEIR PART.
THERE'S NO PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE MORE CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT
THAN YOUR HOME.
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