How do I know if the products Im using are safe for the environment? Thats a good question. The answer is they arent and no product is allowed in the storm drain. So your next question is, If I use the waste wash water to water the grass in front of the school or a flower bed near a gas station, how do I know if it will kill the grass or plants? How do I know the products will be safe for our children?
This question we can answer. Every product has a Material Safety And Data Sheet (MSDS). Read through the sheet and see if the diamond at the top of the sheet has a number higher than one in the box on the left. If it does, it will affect organic life. Look for products that have only ones or zeroes in the boxes in the diamond code at the top.
Material Safety and Data Sheets (MSDS sheets) contain nine sections. These sections are:
I. General Information
II. Ingredients
III. Physical Data
IV. Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
V. Health Hazard Information
VI. Reactivity Data
VII. Spill, Leak and Disposal Procedures
VIII. Special Handling Information
IX. Users Responsibility
At the top of each sheet is a square on end. It looks like a diamond shape. It is broken into four squares inside this diamond shape. The squares mean:
Top Square (Fire)
Left Square (Toxic)
Right Square (Reaction)
Bottom Square (Special)
In each square there is a number from zero to four. The numbers equal:
Four = Extreme
Three = High
Two = Moderate
One = Slight
Zero = Insignificant
This indicates how safe or volatile the product is. It also gives you an indication of whether the fumes are dangerous, if it is flammable, if it will react adversely with other chemical or if it is radioactive or biologically unsafe.
Section I, the general information section, contains information such as:
Who prepared the MSDS Sheet
The products trade name and type of chemical
Which chemical family the product belongs to
Basic formula
Name and address of manufacturer
DOT shipping classification
DOT Hazard classification
Section II contains ingredients. Generally only hazardous ingredients will be listed. It will normally be in chart form:
Name of component
CAS number
Percentage of hazardous chemicals
Concentration in parts per million
Section III contains physical data, things that you probably learned in chemistry class:
Boiling point
Vapor pressure
Vapor density
Solubility in water
Odor
Appearance and color
Gravity in terms of water
Percentage which is or could be volatile
Reactivity, if any, in water
Ph Level
Section IV contains fire and explosion data such as:
Flash point
What will extinguish it if it catches fire
Flammable limits
Any special fire fighting procedures
Any unusual hazards regarding fire and explosion
Section V contains health hazard information and what happens when:
Product vapor is inhaled
Product comes in contact with skin, eyes, etc.
Product is swallowed
It tells you what symptoms to expect and what should be done including any first aid or emergency procedures.
Section VI contains information regarding the products reactivity with other elements and common compounds. It discusses conditions to avoid, the products stability or instability and its decomposition.
Section VII contains information regarding spill response procedures including any special state, federal or local laws to be met.
Section VIII contains information regarding special handling. It is basically a catch-all section for anything not covered by other sections. Items such as:
Respiratory Protection
Eye Protection
Gloves
Ventilation
Engineering Controls
are not uncommon in this section. Sometimes you will find equipment discussed here. Special equipment that the manufacturer recommends for CYA purposes in case something goes wrong.
Section IX contains information regarding the users responsibility. It is a disclaimer section that manufacturers generally use to avoid lawsuits. Usually they pass the buck by saying people using this product should maintain a safe work place at all times and have in written form a safety manual for employees, workers and independent contractors.
Following all these sections is a blown out of proportion disclaimer usually written in plain English by an attorney releasing the product manufacturer from any responsibility what so ever and further more disavows the manufacturers from any mistakes in the MSDS sheet therein.
If all this sounds too complicated, go find some coconut soap, citrus cleaner or Liquid Organic Cleaner (L.O.C.) from Amway and use those. You can actually drink them if you had to and still wake up the next morning. You might get the runs but they definitely wont kill you. As a matter of fact, Ive seen nice bright green spots in the grass where weve discharged our waste wash water. But you will need to be careful of the products you use and realize none of the soapy dirty water is allowed into the storm drains. Think about it.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
