Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Assessment Worksheet 1 - Product Purchase, Selection, and Use
The assessment worksheet below will help you identify potential environmental risks related to your use of haz-
ardous products around the house. For each question indicate your risk level in the right-hand column. Some
choices may not correspond exactly to your situation. Choose the response that best fits. When finished, turn to
the Household Hazardous Wastes Action Worksheet on page 5-10, and record your medium and high-risk prac-
tices. The goal is to lower your risks. Use the BMP recommendations in this section to help you decide how to
best reduce pollution.
LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
YOUR
RISK
Product
selection
I always read labels,
understand signal
words, and respect the
health or environmental
hazards that labels de-
scribe. I use less haz-
ardous products when
possible.
I don’t read labels or
don’t understand what
they mean, but I use a
“common sense” ap-
proach to safety.
I never read labels. I
purchase products
without considering
what the product is
made of or how it will
be used.
Quantities
purchased
I buy only what is need-
ed for a specific job. I
use up most of the
product during the sea-
son of purchase. I dis-
pose of excess products
at a county waste drop-
off site.
I buy excess product,
but I have safe and ac-
cessible storage.
I buy more than is
needed, then purchase
additional products
without checking on
current supplies.
Safety
precautions
I follow label instruc-
tions and take recom-
mended precautions
against exposure, like
wearing protective
clothing (gloves and
safety goggles). I never
mix products.
I occasionally read the
label. I take precau-
tions based on my
knowledge of the prod-
uct. I occasionally mix
products for specific
cleaning tasks, but
refer to label first.
I never follow label
instructions and take no
precautions—even
when recommended. If
one product doesn’t
work, I add another
without checking safe-
ty precautions.
Toxic alterna-
tives
I use alternatives to tox-
ic materials whenever I
can.
I don’t use alternatives.
Pesticides
I use non-chemical pest
control. I choose pest
control products ac-
cording to the label and
properly store, handle,
and dispose of them.
When solving pest
problems, I do not
practice prevention or
explore non-chemical
options.
I do not handle pesti-
cides as directed on the
label. Pesticides are
applied near my well,
or at the edge of sur-
face water.
Risk Assessment Worksheets
Household Hazardous Wastes
5-8
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High