The Effect of Electronic Waste on Children

Posted by STN Admin on

The advancement of digital devices has changed the world – mostly for the better. However, there is a growing issue of electronic waste or e-waste that is having a devastating effect, particularly on children. The buildup of e-waste over the past couple of decades has been enormous. The health effects are only now being fully seen, especially among children. 

What is Electronic Waste? 

E-waste is the term used to describe electronic products that are on the verge of no longer being useful or useable. This can include electronics such as TVs, smartphones, fax and printer machines, computers, etc. If any of these electronics break or become outdated, that is when they often become eligible for being refurbished or recycled. 

E-waste recycling is a massive market with facilities placed all around the world. It is estimated that more than 18 million children are engaged in e-waste recycling. Although recycling itself is a good thing, certain elements that can be found in electronics can also be harmful to humans, especially children, such as lead and mercury. Such exposure can hinder their mental development and create serious, long-term health issues. 

Electronic Waste Is A Growing Issue

The volume of e-waste around the world has grown by more than 20% just in the past five years. Today, it is estimated that the amount of e-waste created is the equivalent of filling up 350 cruise ships.

As the use of computers, smartphones, and other electronic devices continues to grow, so will the volume of electronic waste. With just over 17% being sent to proper recycling centers, the rest is dumped illegally. This exposes its harmful elements to adults and children. And while the effects on those living in third-world countries are the most apparent, cases of wrongful e-waste and contamination are growing in countries such as the United States and Europe as well. 

The effect on health is considerable. The effect that e-waste has on the environment is quite damaging. With more areas subject to illegal dumping, the underground market for e-waste materials continues to grow. That means more toxic chemicals being released into the environment making for a more dangerous world. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you have electronic or e-waste on your property, Brickley Environmental can help. We offer our knowledge, experience, and equipment that will identify and remove your waste. Our trained technicians understand how to safely remove waste from properties like yours. In addition, we offer several other services as well which include the following. 

  • Asbestos Abatement
  • Demolition
  • Hazardous Waste Removal 
  • Lead-Based Paint Removal
  • Mold Remediation & More 

For additional information about e-waste, click here to view the EPA website.

Household Hazardous Waste

Posted by STN Admin on

 

While most household waste can be safely stored and disposed of by simply taking out the garbage, hazardous waste must be treated differently. Certain products cannot simply be poured down the drain, into sewer systems, or on the ground. Proper disposal not only protects the environment, but it also protects you, your family, and anyone coming into contact with this waste. 

How to Handle Household Hazardous Waste Properly

The first essential tip starts with following the instructions on the product label. By meeting the requirements listed, you can help prevent any accidents from occurring. This includes reading the instructions as to the disposal of the product itself. 

Many chemicals that are improperly handled may become dangerous when mixed with other chemicals, exposed to the skin, or inhaled into the lungs. Chemicals that are flammable not only may catch on fire but explode and cause considerable damage and injury. The product label should inform you what to do with hazardous materials once you no longer have need of them. 

It is recommended that you store chemicals in their original containers whenever possible. If the container is corroding, then you may want to call the local fire department or hazardous materials official in your area. You also never want to mix hazardous waste with other chemicals. If you have leftover chemicals, it may be tempting to mix them with other unwanted chemicals or products so they can be disposed of together. However, the mixture may cause additional issues such as explosions, fire, or other serious problems. 

Most communities have designated sites for the proper disposal of household hazardous waste. Check to see where your local designated site is located and what materials they accept. 

Reducing Household Hazardous Waste in Your Home

Instead of purchasing potentially dangerous products, you can instead use alternatives where available. Here’s a short list of alternatives that are safe to use, store, and dispose of when no longer needed: 

  • Drain Cleaner: Plumber’s snake or plunger 
  • Furniture Polish: Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with one pint of vegetable oil 
  • Glass Cleaner: Mix one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with one quart of water
  • Mothballs: Cedar chips, rosemary, or white peppercorns
  • Rug Deodorizer: Sprinkle baking soda and vacuum after 15 minutes

Why Choose Brickley Environmental? 

If you have questions about the proper use, storage, and disposal of household hazardous waste, call the experts at Brickley Environmental. Your call will be answered by friendly, courteous staff who will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and provide the proper guidance so you can make the best-informed decision.

At Brickley Environmental, we work with people who have the same issues that you are facing with hazardous household waste including its proper disposal. We also provide expert services in asbestos abatement, lead-based paint removal, mold remediation, demolition, and more. Call today and find out more about how Brickley Environmental can help you. 

For more information about properly disposing of hazardous waste, click here to visit the EPA website.

Home Chemical Safety Tips

Posted by STN Admin on

You may be surprised to learn just how many hazardous chemicals are in your home. This is because many chemicals are used for cleaning, providing anti-freeze or brake fluid for your vehicles, and even nail polish remover or contact cement. There are four basic types of substances that are harmful to you, your family, and pets that may be in your home.

  • Acidic: They destroy materials on contact
  • Explosive: Under the right conditions, they can explode
  • Flammable: Easy to set aflame
  • Poisons: These are toxic if consumed

For the most part, harmful chemicals are marked as such for easy identification. You will need to treat such chemicals differently in terms of use and storage compared to harmless materials.

Storage

Proper storage of harmful chemicals will go a long way to prevent accidents from occurring. What follows are a few tips if you have such chemicals in the home.

Follow Instructions: Proper use of harmful chemicals will minimize exposure to you and everyone else in the household. With insecticides, be sure to clear the area and let the product fully dry before letting children and pets back in.

Keep All Harmful Chemicals Out of Reach of Children and Pets: In other words, store such chemicals high on a shelf and not in a cabinet. Remember that locked cabinets are still not 100% and you may forget to shut the door. But keeping them out of reach will prevent almost all accidents from occurring.

Store in a Cool, Dry Place: Keeping them stored at room temperature and normal humidity conditions will not keep potentially explosive chemicals from becoming unstable. It will also preserve their effectiveness for longer periods.

Toss Out Old, Unused Chemicals: Every so often, you will want to remove old chemicals that are no longer used. While some may not have an expiration date, in many cases they will break down over time.

What to Do in an Emergency

Even the best plans may not prevent the accidental consumption of a toxic chemical or medication. You should have the emergency number handy and a bottle of ipecac. Ipecac is a chemical which causes a person to throw up the contents of their stomach. However, you should only use ipecac when instructed by a poison control center.

If you believe that your home may have harmful chemicals that you want safely disposed, calling the professionals at Brickley Environmental can help.

Call Brickley Environmental Today

The knowledgeable, experienced professionals at Brickley Environmental can provide you with proper guidance when it comes to chemical exposure in the home. Our trained staff will listen to you, ask questions to fully understand the situation, and set an appointment to inspect the issue in your home. We also offer sound advice on how to properly store and dispose of household chemicals to minimize your concerns. Call today and let our professionals provide the guidance you need to identify and remove unwanted chemicals from your residence.

What to Do With Electronic Waste in Your Home

Posted by Cleo Spencer on

Of the many different types of waste that people have in their homes, one of the most overlooked is electronic devices. From chargers to old cellphones to other electronic gear, these types of devices carry both valuable metals and hazardous waste that needs proper recycling and disposal. The average household has more than 24 electronic devices of some type, and around the holiday season some of these devices get upgraded and replaced. At some point or another, every homeowner will need to deal with this issue.

Here are a few tips for getting rid of the electronic waste in your home the proper way, which will avoid potential health issues and perhaps even make you a little money.

Recycle

First, you’ll want to locate the nearest recycling center that takes electronic devices. There is a big market for used electronic parts of all types and the metals inside may be valuable as well. You can look for recycling centers that pay for certain types of metals and materials to see if they might be valuable. However, in most cases you will probably only get a small amount back.

Donate

If you have devices that still work, but are no longer useful to you such as an older computer, consider donating them instead. There are many non-profit organizations that provide used electronics to adults and children around the world who need them. They will take your device if it is still in good working condition, refurbish it, and ship it to those who need it.

Sell

If you have devices that still work that you think might be valuable enough to sell, it’s easy to find out. You can go to auction sites such as eBay and check out similar items that are up for sale. This will give you an idea of the market price for what you own. Be sure to add shipping costs and all the details about your device, including photos which show any marks, scrapes, or damage which may affect its value.

It really helps if you look for green products when buying new electronic devices to minimize the hazardous waste associated with these products. Gadgets that have an Energy Star label or have been certified by Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool or EPEAT are good places to start. That way, you can reduce the amount of needless electronic waste while getting the most out of the products that you own.

For more information about electronic waste disposal, contact the experts at Brickley Environmental. They can help you properly dispose of such devices to create a safe environment in your home, office, or facility.

Hazardous Waste in the Workplace

Posted by Cleo Spencer on

One of the more serious conditions that business owners face is the presence of hazardous waste in the workplace. If hazardous waste is present, employers must have it removed in a prompt, safe manner which limits exposure to employees. Most businesses have a system in place that processes the removal of hazardous waste. However, there may be circumstances in which some waste is unaccounted for or is present but not readily detected.

Discovery of Hazardous Waste

A business can find itself with hazardous waste on their property for a variety of reasons. One of the more common is when a business purchases the property without the full knowledge of what might be present. Another is older waste that was stored and either forgotten or overlooked when new procedures were introduced. In either situation, the waste can go unaddressed for years.

Whatever the case, it pays for any business that might not have full records of the previous ownership or might have overlooked hazardous waste that was stored on the site to do a full investigation to see if it is present. If hazardous waste is discovered, the company can properly dispose of it with professional assistance.

Worker’s Rights & OSHA

Under OSHA, employees have rights when it comes to the presence of hazardous waste on the property. OSHA oversees all businesses that have hazardous waste present, so there are rules and regulations that need to be followed. Because employees have a right to a safe workplace, the removal of the hazardous waste becomes paramount. There are three steps required by OSHA: identification, information and removal.

Identification: The first step is the proper identification of the waste material and whether it qualifies as hazardous under OSHA rules. Once that is determined, the waste must be removed according to schedule.

Information: Workers do have rights when it comes to keeping their workplace safe, which means that they can file a complaint with OSHA if there is hazardous waste present that is not scheduled for removal and it presents a danger to the employees. Compliance with all rules and regulations concerning hazardous waste must be observed.

Removal: At this point, the hazardous waste must be removed from the property according to OSHA rules. Plus, any complaints that your employees have filed with OSHA regarding the presence of the hazardous waste must be addressed as well. Once it is removed the area where it was kept will be inspected to ensure that any residue is cleaned up so that it does not present a danger.

Once all hazardous waste has been dealt with accordingly, practices should be put into place to ensure that waste oversite does not happen again.

If you think you may have hazardous waste in the workplace, call the professionals as Brickley Environmental. They can provide the services you need to inspect, evaluate, and remove the waste from your property in a prompt, professional manner.