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BESTPRACTICES
It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info
It’stimetobreakoutthebrooms,ragsandcleaners!Inourannualtraditionofcleaningourhomestoptobottomeachspring,youmayhavesomequestions.Isthisproductsafetouseinmyhome?Willmyactionstodayaddpollutiontonearbyrivers,lakesorstreams?WhatshouldIdowithmyunusedhouseholdcleaners,paintsandoils?Followthesuggestionsbelowandcommittoasafeandgreenspringcleaning.WhyUseSaferCleaningProductsThecleaningproductsweuseinandaroundourhomescanendupinlocalwaterways.Somecleanerscontain
compoundsthatcannotberemovedduringwastewatertreatmentprocesses.Cleanersusedoutsideourhomesmayrunoffuntreatedintonearbyrivers,lakesandstreams.Ifyouareunsureifyourproductissafeornot,orwantalternativestoharshcleaners,visitThurstonCounty’sSaferProductswebpage,http://tinyurl.com/saferhouseholdsforsoundadvice!OutdoorCleaningandStormwaterDuringyourspringcleaningactivitiesoutside,youmaybeaddingtostormwaterpollution.Sweeppavedareas
aroundyourhomeinsteadofusingpressurewashers.Ifyouneedtopressurewashyourhome,divertwashwatertoyourlawnorflowerbeds.Thiswayyoucanmakesurepaintflakesaren’treachingthestormdrain.Useashopvactoclean-upanypaintchipsthatlandonhardsurfacestopreventstormwatercontamination.Doesyourcarneedtobewashedthisspring?Takeyourcartoacommercialcarwashinsteadofwashingyourcar
inyourdriveway.Dirt,heavymetals,andsoapscanenterstormwaterfromyourdriveway.Ifyouneedtowashyourcarathome,washitonagrassyorgravelsurfacetopreventdirectrunoff.Finally,checktheitemsyouhavestoredinyourgarageorsheds.Areyouusingthesematerialsanymore?Are
theystoredsafely?Makesurepesticides,fertilizersandotheroutdoorchemicalsarestoredcorrectly,insidesecondarycontainmentlikeaplastictub,indryplaces,ordisposedofproperlyifyouaren’tusingthem.DisposingofHazardousHouseholdWasteSpringcleaningistheperfecttimetoswitchfromhazardouscleanerstogreenones.Additionally,it’sagreattime
totakeinventoryofyourhazardousmaterials,anddisposeofanyitemsthatarenolongerusable.Takethesestepstodisposeofyouroldhazardoushouseholdwaste:
1. Storeinoriginalcontaineranddonotremovethelabel.2. Storehazardousproductsinalargeplastictotetopreventandcontainanyspillsorleaks.
ThisSpringGoGreen!SpringCleaningTipsfromStreamTeam
BESTPRACTICES:ThisSpringGoGreen!SpringCleaningTipsfromStreamTeam 2of2
It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info
3. Spilledorleakedproductsneedtobehandledashazardousmaterials.Followthelabelinstructionsforcleaningthespill.
4. Nevercombinedifferentproductstogether.Acombinationofproductscouldcreatehazardousfumes,igniteorexplode.
4. TakeallunwantedproductsandanymaterialsusedtocleanupspillstoThurstonCounty’sHazoHouse.(FormoreinformationcallHazoHouseat360-867-2912oremailThurstonSolidWaste@co.thurston.wa.us.)
SpringGardeningTipsSpringisaperfecttimetoremulchyourgarden.Mulchhelpssoilretainwaterforplants,controlssoilerosion
fromyourpropertyandsuppressesweedgrowth.Organicmulcheseventuallybreakdown,addingvaluablenutrientsandorganicmattertoyoursoil.Plus,itlooksreallygreat!Areyoupullingoutyourmowerforthefirstspringmow?Adjustthemowerheightto2-3”tokeepyourlawn
healthy.Atallerlawnrequireslessfertilizerandwateranditshadesoutweedseedsinthesoil.Don’tforgettosharpenorreplaceyourmowerblade!Tearingorshreddinggrassduetoadullbladecausesstressforyourlawnmakingitvulnerabletodiseases.Needtopurchaseareplacementmowerthisspring?Considerinvestinginamulchingmower.Mulchingmowers
leavesomegrassonyourlawn,whichprovidesslow-releasingnutrientstoyourlawn.You’llsavebothtimeandmoney,andkeepyourlawngreen!And,remember,thepositiveactionsyoutakethisspringwillprotectourrivers,lakesandstreams.Thisspring,
gogreen!Remember!
Itisunlawfultodisposeofchemicalsordirtywaterintothestormdrainsystem,includingdrainageditches,stormdrainsandstormwaterponds.
Toreportaspillorillicitdischarge(dumping),calltheWADepartmentofEcology24-hourSpillHotline:360-407-6300.
Source:StreamTeamNews,Spring2018