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Household
Hints & HELP!
Poison
Prevention Awareness Month
submitted
by Lorene Bartos, Extension Educator
This article appears in the March 20,
2005 Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper.
Have
you checked your home for poisons lately? What is stored
under your kitchen and bathroom sink? March is Poison Prevention
Awareness Month, now is a good time to poison proof your
home. Your home may be a poison danger zone for your children,
grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or any child who visits
your home. Each year at least 600,000 children are treated
for accidental poisoning. Many poisonings occur when a product
and a child are left unattended for only a brief moment.
Keep
the Poison Center phone number, 800-955-9119,
on your refrigerator or near your phone.
A few simple steps to help prevent poisonings are:
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Read and follow label directions before using drugs
and household products.
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Keep all drugs and potentially harmful household products
out of reach of children or in a locked cabinet.
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Keep all drugs and household products in their original
containers.
-
Dispose of empty containers and unused portions correctly.
Take a few minutes to complete a safety check of your home.
Some
items found in different rooms of your home are:
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Bathroom—aspirin,
bubble bath, drugs and medicines, iodine, eye makeup,
nail products, cleaners and deodorizers.
-
Bedroom—cologne,
perfume, mothballs, sleeping medications and nail polish.
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Kitchen—antiseptics,
cleaning fluids, copper and brass cleaner, dishwasher
detergent, disinfectants, drain cleaners, epoxy glue,
furniture polish, oven cleaner, plant food, pine oil
or window cleaner.
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Living
Room/Family Room—alcohol, poisonous plants, camera
and watch batteries, lighters and matches.
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Laundry—ammonia,
bleach and cleaning fluids.
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Workshop/garage—antifreeze,
gasoline, herbicides, insecticides, paint, paint thinner,
rodent killers, kerosene, garden sprays and turpentine.
These
items should be placed away from the reach of children.
To prevent children from getting into cabinets and drawers
use safety latches or combination locks. Children view items
differently than adults. Harmful liquids may look like milk
or juice; pills look like candy; or plants look like vegetables.
Please,
take a few minutes a check your home. Spring is a good time
to clean the house and garage/workshop and get rid of hazardous
wastes and make it a safe place for everyone including pets.
The
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department will hold a Household
Hazardous Waste Collection for Lancaster County residents,
Saturday, April 16, 2005, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at State Fair
Park, 4-H Youth Complex. Items accepted are pesticides,
items containing PBCs, solvents, and heavy metals such as
mercury. Additional collections will be held in May, June,
September and October.
Do
NOT bring latex paint, medicines, fertilizers (use up),
batteries (recycle), antifreeze (recycle), explosives and
ammunition, used oil (recycle) and general household or
business trash. If you have questions on how to dispose
of these items, call the LLCHD at 441-8040.
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