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
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
5-9
LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
YOUR
RISK
Recycling
hazardous
product
containers
I triple-rinse empty
yard and garden pesti-
cide containers and
include rinse water in
yard and garden man-
agement. I recycle
containers.
I generally leave my
empty containers in the
garage because I don’t
know what to do with
them.
I burn hazardous mate-
rials, releasing metals,
acids, and chlorine
compounds. I spread
materials from the burn
barrel over my proper-
ty.
Batteries
I recycle batteries, or
take them to a county
hazardous waste drop-
off site. I trade-in my
used car or boat battery
at an auto or tire store.
I dispose of used bat-
teries in a county land-
fill.
Used batteries are
stored or buried on my
property near a well or
waterway. Small bat-
teries (e.g. flashlight)
are burned with my
trash.
Paint and
solvents
I share leftovers. Un-
used products contain-
ing mercury, pesti-
cides, or hazardous
solvents are taken to a
county waste drop-off
site.
I allow liquids to evap-
orate away. Sludge or
leftover products are
placed in normal trash
flow, which goes to a
county landfill.
I dump leftover prod-
ucts on the ground near
a well or waterway.
Drips and spills
I contain spills on
paved area with absor-
bent material (kitty
litter), and then dispose
of it at a landfill.
I don’t bother contain-
ing drips and spills;
occasionally I flush
them onto my property.
I don’t do anything to
contain drips and spills.
I frequently flush them
onto my property,
where they can infil-
trate into groundwater.
Pesticides
I don’t use pesticides. I use pesticides for
weeds in my lawn, but
I follow the label and
don’t apply within 25
feet of surface water.
I spray right up to the
water’s edge. I didn't
realize this could be
harmful.
Antifreeze,
Gasoline, and
motor oil
I take left over or un-
used antifreeze to the
county dump or an au-
tomotive shop. I burn
used oil for heat in an
approved space heater.
Containers with left-
over product are stored
in my garage on a
raised platform.
I pour extra oil, anti-
freeze, and fuel in the
ditch next to the road.
Assessment Worksheet 2 - Product Disposal
When finished, turn to the Household Hazardous Wastes Action Worksheet on page 5-10 and record your medi-
um and high-risk practices.
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Action Worksheet
Household Hazardous Waste
Write all high and medium risks
below.
What can you do to reduce the risks?
Set a target
date for action.
Sample: I have containers that don’t
have labels, and I don’t know what is
in them.
Take all containers to the Kootenai County
Transfer Station, and limit my overall use of
hazardous materials.
One week from
today.
5-10