Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners Chairman William J. Ellinger, Secretary Gary S. Bretton and Treasurer John R. Sullivan reminds residents improper storage or disposal of hazardous materials could damage Bethpage’s groundwater supply. The district encourages residents to read and follow all manufacturer instructions before disposing materials used for summertime home improvement.
“Pouring hazardous materials down the drain has the potential to be very damaging to residents’ home plumbing and can pose threats to the rest of community,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman William J. Ellinger. “We ask our neighbors to be mindful of environmental, health and safety consequences when using any chemical product associated with personal, home, car and garden care.”
Materials such as paints, cleaning products, pesticides and vehicle fluids can be hazardous to infrastructure, the environment and heath. Pouring these items down the drain and dumping waste in the yard or normal trash, though commonly done, are improper methods of disposal. Inadequately discarding corrosive materials can eat away at pipes and other materials are highly flammable, reactive and can cause health concerns if ingested.
In a proactive effort to protect the community and the pipe system, Bethpage Water District reminds residents to be aware of the products they are using and to read all manufacturer labels to ensure storage and disposal is safe. Many materials can be recycled. For example used motor oil, paint thinners and some other solvents can be refined and reused.
For more information on the Bethpage Water District, please visit bethpagewater.org, or The Bethpage Water District’s Facebook page at facebook.com/BethpageWaterDistrict.