Credit: Downsizing Diva

As you go through your garage and start packing items in to boxes, you notice that you have several different cans of paints, some aerosol containers – insect spray, leather spray paint, etc. – and some other miscellaneous items. Recognizing that a majority of these items are not meant to be moved, you decide to assign a container to hold these household hazardous items.

Many common household items can become hazardous when transported. Heat can build up inside a truck or container initiating an explosion or fire that could cause serious harm to the load and endanger the lives of transporters and passengers.

All moving companies comply with strict government regulations pertaining to the transport of hazardous or restricted items. For everyone’s safety, ensure the following items are NOT in any of the boxes you are planning to move.

• Antifreeze compounds
• Lubricants
• Motor oils

• Aerosol containers
• Fire extinguishers
• Oxygen canisters
• Scuba tanks

• Batteries
• Bleach and drain cleaners
• Photographic chemicals
• Pool chemicals
• Weed killers

• Guns and ammunition
• Fireworks

• Cleaning fluids
• Pesticides

• Butane and lighter fluids
• Charcoal briquettes
• Chemicals
• Gasoline
• Matches
• Paint and varnish
• Solvents
• Petroleum-based garden sprays
• Propane
• Signal flares
• Wood stains

• Mercury-based thermometers
• Lightbulbs and fluorescent tubes
• Syringes and needles
• Fresh fruit and perishable foods
• Seeds

A lot of the items listed above are categorized as household hazardous waste (HHW). Now that you have identified these household hazardous items, you should either plan to use them as much as possible before your move or find a proper way of disposing them. You can always see if family, friends or neighbours need these items and give it to them.

Guns and ammunition require special disposal precautions. Check with the Police Department.