Hazardous Materials

Why should I be concerned with hazardous materials?

• To protect your family and pets
• To protect the environment
• To reduce waste accumulation
• To minimize disposal hazards

What to do when buying hazardous materials

• Read the label carefully.
• Buy only as much as you need.
• Use all materials for their intended purposes.
• Keep those products separate from groceries.
• Store in a safe place.
• Periodically examine the condition of the container or packaging of these products.
• Be aware of the uses and dangers of these products. Contact manufacturer or dealer if use directions are unclear. If unsuccessful, call the poison center for advice.
• Keep unused products in their original containers for directions to follow and list of contents for reference in case of accidental poisoning.

Know how to dispose of unused hazardous materials

• Hazardous materials must NOT be thrown in garbage cans.
• Hazardous materials must NOT be flushed into drains or toilets.
• Hazardous materials must NOT be burned.
• While most packages of commercially available products offer adequate instructions on the storage and use of these potentially harmful materials, they rarely contain instructions on how to properly dispose of them.

If hazardous material spills

• Call the poison center at 1-800-222-1222 for advice.
• Local fire departments, waste management and disposal companies also may office advice or assistance.

Disposal and Recycling Resources

This page has a list of useful phone numbers and websites that have more information on where and how to recycle or dispose of hazardous materials and unused medicines.

Want more information about staying safe? Our specialists have written several handy fact sheets called POISONology, available here on this site. You can also find us on Facebook. Our specialists post interesting facts and issues related to our calls.

DONATE TO THE POISON CENTER

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center is a public service funded by the state through the Arizona Department of Health Services. In the past two years, the state cut center funding by 50 percent. This significant reduction has made it difficult to maintain the high quality of service we have provided for more than 50 years. If you'd like to help, you may make on online donation through the University of Arizona Foundation.