What Do I Do with Old Paint? | Episode 5: Household Hazardous Waste | What Do I Do With This?

In this episode of "What Do I Do with This?" we tackle the tricky world of household hazardous waste (HHW), those common but potentially dangerous products hiding under your sink, in your garage, or haunting your basement storage room.

We take you around a local HHW recycling facility to see what happens to everything from paint thinner to old batteries once they leave your home.

Along the way, we break down what qualifies as hazardous, why it matters, and how proper disposal protects both people and the planet.

Then, we head to a water treatment plant to uncover how HHW can wreak havoc on our waterways if poured down the drain or washed into storm sewers.

It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how your everyday choices can impact public health and the environment, and how to safely clean up your act.

Find resources from our community partners at ninepbs.org/what-do-i-do-with-this
 
This digital series is supported in part by Cass Information Systems, Inc., the Graybar Foundation, and the Betsy & Thomas O. Patterson Foundation.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 A Spooky Story
0:43 What is Household Hazardous Waste
1:50 Recycling HHW in St. Louis
2:25 Common HHW items
3:15 Expired Paint
3:36 Smoke Detectors
3:52 Buy and Use Only What You Need
4:15 Hazardous Chemical Waste Examples
4:32 Batteries
5:43 HHW Not Accepted At Drop Off Sites
5:55 Tips and Tricks
6:38 Water Treatment Site
7:35 Dangers of Improperly Disposed HHW
8:25 Your Actions Make an Impact
9:02 How to Watch More Episodes