Lesson 2
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Each chemical found in your home has a
special purpose. The properties of the
chemical determine what it will react with. In
general we do not want products in our
homes to react with each other.
On the other hand there are products that we
do want to react with other materials. These
are normally cleaners that contain materials
such as bleach and ammonia, which are very
reactive chemicals
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In order to notify users which chemicals are
dangerous and in what ways they are
dangerous we use Hazardous Household
Product Symbols.
The HHPS has four categories of Hazardous
materials as well as three levels of severity.
The HHPS has four categories of Hazardous
Chemicals
flammable
toxic
corrosive
explosive
Poisonous
 If you swallow or inhale this product, you
could become very sick or die
Flammable
 This product or the fumes from it can catch
fire quickly. Keep this product away from
heat, flames and sparks.
Explosive
 The material in the container will explode if
the container is heated or if a hole is punched
in it. Metal or plastic can fly out and hurt your
eyes or other parts of your body.
Corrosive
 The material in the container will breakdown
and damage other materials including skin
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The HHPS has three levels of severity
Caution is the least sever of the three symbols
Colour Yellow
Warning is more severe Colour Orange
Danger is the most severe. Colour Red
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Household chemicals can be categorized
according to where they are used: kitchen
and bathroom, the garage, the walls, and the
garden.
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Many cleaners contain substances that
dissolve or interact with dirt and grease, but
may also contain hazardous chemicals.
There are many environmentally friendly
products that are alternatives to the
hazardous chemicals.
When using chemicals try to avoid using more
than is needed.
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Many hazardous solvents are used on
automobiles. Proper handling and disposal is
essential to avoid contamination of soil and
ground water.
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Paints and solvents contain hazardous
chemicals.
When painting try to use latex water based
paints that are low in Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs)
Recycling unused paint and paint tins
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Chemicals used for lawns and gardens include
fertilizers and pesticides.
Fertilizers are fine as long as they are used properly.
Pesticides on the other hand can be incredibly
poisonous. New regulations were passed last year limit
the use of such products to registered users. Fines can
be issued to those using the products without
legitimate registrations.
Alternatives to chemical pesticides
◦ Predator insects
◦ Insect traps
◦ Remove trash and waste from gardens