Handbook on Household Hazardous Waste

According to the EPA, Americans generate 1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste (HHW) every year. Although interest in managing old and unwanted consumer products with characteristics of hazardous waste—household cleaners, pesticides, paint products, and automotive products—emerged in the late 1970s, the management of such materials has been a bouncing ball of responsibility for more than two decades. Consumer products are exempt from federal and most state regulations because of their ho…