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Around Your Home
What can you do to help reduce waste in the world around you? Start at home! We can all help to reduce waste in our homes by practicing the "4 Rs"— reduce, reuse, recycle, and rebuy.
It's easy! The resources below will help you get started.
Waste Reduction and Recycling | Household Hazardous Waste | Household Medical Waste | Other Household Waste
Waste Reduction and Recycling
The
Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste
Describes how consumers can reduce their garbage by making environmentally
aware decisions about the products and packaging they purchase,
use, and ultimately dispose of. Suggestions follow four basic principles:
reduce, reuse, recycle, and respond.
Moving
Out, Moving In: Making Environmental Choices When You Move (PDF) (12 pp, 331K, About PDF)
Suggests environmentally safe alternatives to throwing away unwanted
“junk” and shows you how to purchase new items with the
environment in mind.
Recycle:
You Can Make a Ton of Difference (PDF) (3 pp, 357K, About PDF)
Introduces the national recycling campaign by providing an overview
of solid waste problems and recycling solutions.
Household Hazardous Waste
Be Smart | PDF (1 pg, 568K, About PDF) || en Español | PDF (1 pg, 531K, About PDF)This poster lists some of the household products that contain ingredients that can harm you, your family, and the environment.
Sure your home is clean...but is it safe for your family? | PDF (2 pp, 539K, About PDF) || en
Español | PDF (2 pp, 1.9MB, About PDF)
Did you know that the products you use for cleaning, carpentry, auto repair and gardening
can contain ingredients that can harm you, your family and your environment? This brochure tells you what you can do to safeguard your family, your home, and your community.
Household Medical Waste
Protect
Yourself, Protect Others: Safe Options for Home Needle Disposal (PDF)
(2 pp, 1,2MB, About PDF) || Chinese
Translation (PDF) (2 pp, 804K, About PDF)
Describes disposal options for people who use syringes and other medical
sharps at home. Contains information on six types of services available
to home users: drop-off collection sites, community household hazardous
waste collection centers, residential “special waste” pick-ups,
syringe exchange programs, mail-back services, and home needle destruction
devices.
Handle with Care: How to Throw Out Used Insulin Syringes and Lancets at
Home – A Booklet for Young People with Diabetes and their Families (PDF) (8 pp, 467K, About PDF)
Offers easy directions and illustrations on how to protect family members
and waste handlers from injury, while keeping the environment clean and
safe.
Other Household Waste
Composting
Discusses what composting is, what compost can be used for, and other
related topics.
Greenscaping
Your Lawn and Garden (PDF) (8 pp, 757K, About PDF)
Shows you how to reduce the environmental impacts of landscaping your
lawn and property by grasscycling, mulching, and composting.
GreenScaping: The Easy Way to a Greener, Healthier Yard | PDF (16 pp, 2,1MB, About PDF)
Booklet telling consumers how changing their landscapes to GreenScapes can save time and money and protect the environment.
Donate or Recycle Electronics: eCycle (PDF) (2 pp, 1.5MB, About PDF)
Describes EPA’s campaign to encourage the reuse and recycling of
electronic products – computers, monitors, printers, televisions,
cell phones, etc.
Used Motor Oil
- Collecting
Used Oil for Recycling/Reuse: Tips for Consumers Who Change Their Own
Motor Oil and Oil Filters (PDF)
(8 pp, 219K, About PDF) || en
Español
Provides step-by-step instructions for changing motor oil, recycling used oil, and changing and recycling used oil filters. Lists uses for recycled oil.
- You
Dump It, You Drink It - Recycle Used Motor Oil (PDF) (4 pp, 127K, About PDF) || en
Español (PDF) (4 pp, 177K, About PDF)
A brochure for Do-It-Yourselfers and consumers on how to change and dispose their used motor oil.
