The sweet-tasting but lethal ethylene glycol used in antifreeze is tempting to children and pets. All used antifreeze should be treated as HHW, since it is often contaminated with oil and lead. HOW TO REPLACE IT: Propylene glycol– based antifreeze is not lethal, but it can still cause health problems if consumed. Safest bet: Let a mechanic change your antifreeze and handle general car maintenance needs; many have access to recyclers of antifreeze and oil filters that consumers don’t.
Conventional varieties run off lawns into waterways, where they cause algae blooms that threaten fish and other aquatic life. HOW TO REPLACE IT: Look for certified organic products such as Bradfield Organics Veggie 2-3-6 Natural Fertilizer ($19.95/25 lbs.; bradfieldorganics.com, 800-551-9564).
Or try TerraCycle All-Purpose Plant Food ($6.95/20 oz.; gardeners.com), which is made from vermiculture castings—i.e., worm poop—and is packaged in a reused
soda bottle. To avoid runoff, use fertilizers sparingly.
Exposure to household pesticides is linked to asthma, cancer and neurological damage. In 2005, pesticides were responsible for almost 50,000 poisonings of children under six. But because disposal options are uncertain, homeowners hold on to them for years.
HOW TO REPLACE IT: Ask your sanitation department about hazardous waste disposal. Use least-toxic alternatives such as Drax Ant Bait, which kills colonies with borax ($10.99/1.1 oz.; greenmethods.com, 603-942-8925). For mice, try a humane mousetrap ($10; seabrightlabs.com, 800- 284-7363).
Storing gas cans may pose a fire hazard. Furthermore, gas-powered mowers produce the same amount of pollution in an hour as driving a car 20 miles. HOW TO REPLACE IT: Push a fossil-fuel-free
reel mower, instead. The Sunlawn LMM35 reel mower guarantees you’ll burn calories instead of gasoline ($159; sunlawn.com, 970-493-5284).
Don’t keep old paints, which slowly release cancer-causing and neurotoxic gases. HOW TO REPLACE IT: Check with your sanitation department for local drop-off sites. Never pour paint down the drain.
When buying paint, look for low-VOC varieties. AFM Safecoat Concrete Floor Paint seals your garage floor so spills wipe up easily ($54.90/gal.; afmsafecoat.com, 619-239-0321). For more products, see our Resources (p. 90).
Propane and butane tanks, car batteries, brake fluid and adhesives are just some of the other hazardous items we bury in the garage. Take them to your nearest HHW collection site; for locations, see Earth911.org.
So get cleaning—by the time you finish, there just might be a place to park the car.
Safety First
Although the greenest garage is one free from all hazards, most of us keep a few items such as lawn-mower gasoline or touch-up paint there. Follow these rules for safe storage.
x Store products in original containers with their labels.
x Never mix products.
x Keep gasoline in a no-spill Underwriters Laboratory–approved container.
x Do not store gasoline or volatile solvents near water heaters or other appliances with pilot lights, which can ignite flammable gases.
x Keep flammables away from outlets, electric tools and appliances.
x Store all hazards out of reach of children and pets; a locked cabinet is ideal.
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