Sometimes there aren’t always appropriate or equally effective alternatives to products that end up as HHW. Using a hazardous product may be hard to avoid in some cases. If this is the case, there are additional considerations you can undertake to reduce or eliminate HHW.

The easiest consideration is to buy as little hazardous product you may need for a certain job. If a paint job will only require a pint of enamel paint, then try to avoid buying the quart just because it only costs a little bit more. Keeping the remainder means you have an additional hazardous product around your house to store appropriately and if it goes unused will become a costly HHW.

Reusing or finding other uses for hazardous products is another consideration to avoid producing HHW. Most of the hazardous products purchased are consumed on the first use, but some may not be. For example, many degreasers, thinners, and strippers have acting power beyond just one use, and if saved, can be used again. Also, rather than discarding any leftover hazardous product you may have, see if a neighbor could put it to use. No matter what color paint you may have leftover, there is someone out there that could use it.

There are also companies and programs that will reuse hazardous products from the home. For example, leftover latex paint can be brought to the City of Houston’s Westpark Consumer Recycling Center (5900 Westpark) where it is collected for use in covering graffiti throughout the city. Seemingly obsolete computer equipment that might be discarded can instead be donated to Techs & Trainers who use the equipment to train disabled people. Some companies reuse old tires for road building materials, playground equipment, and playground and track surfaces.

There is an ever-increasing number of companies that recycle or dispose of HHW (as well as non-HHW) through "Take It Back" programs. Motor oil and solvents are the most likely candidates for such programs and many filling stations and automotive supply stores will take back used oil and filters.

Please consult the Bellaire Recycles! website at www.bellairerecycles.org for a growing list of ideas on how to reuse and recycle HHW as well a list of companies that have recycling or "Take It Back" programs.