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