3/28/2011
Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is warning West Virginia residents with small children to be aware of the danger posed by many common household chemicals and to make sure they are kept safely away from children and pets.
Although drugs, caustic chemicals such as drain cleaner, and other household chemicals such as insect sprays are commonly of most concern to parents and pet owners, other materials are also dangerous and may be stored in less secure areas.
Consumers will soon be stocking up on lawn and garden chemicals for spring, Commissioner Douglass noted.
“Outdoor chemicals are sometimes stored in locations that are out of sight of adults, but that may be appealing to curious children, such as barns and sheds. Dangerous substances in those areas should also be secured,” he said.
Product labels are the key to safely storing, handling and disposing of chemicals. Consumers are urged to read and follow all label instructions and to adhere to the following general rules:
- Store products out of reach of children and pets. Keep all pesticides and harmful household products locked in a cabinet, a utility area with lots of ventilation or air flow, and/or in a garden shed.
- Store flammable products outside your living area and far away from places where they could catch fire. Keep flammable products away from portable heaters, electric baseboard heaters, around furnaces and outdoor grills.
- Never store pesticides or other household products in cabinets where food is stored, or near food intended for people or animals. Never store pesticides where you keep medicines.
- Always store household products in their original containers so that you can read the label for directions.
- Never transfer pesticides or other household products to soft drink bottles, milk jugs or other food containers. Children, or even adults, may mistake them for something to eat or drink.
The statewide poison control hotline number is 1-800-222-1222. Call this number any time if you think someone has been exposed to toxic substances. For general information on poison control, visit http://www.wvpoisoncenter.org.
For general information on pesticides, contact WVDA’s Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division, Pesticide Regulatory Programs Unit at 304-558-2209.
Contact Information
Buddy Davidson, Communications Officer
304-558-3708
bdavidson@ag.state.wv.us