Greening Florida’s Future

September 15 marks the beginning of National Pollution Prevention (P2) Week. Florida is gearing up to help citizens, businesses and schools reduce their environmental impact and protect the health of the state’s residents and visitors, as well as Florida’s many natural treasures.

The theme of P2 week 2008 is “Greening Florida’s Future” and the Department is encouraging Floridians to make simple changes at home, work and school to protect themselves and the environment. One simple switch that can make a big difference in protecting both human health and the environment is using natural, “green” cleaning products instead of harsh, traditional chemicals.

Considering that only 30 percent of the 17,000 petrochemicals available for home use have been tested for human and environmental exposure, picking safe cleaning products can be confusing. A few key phrases to look for in cleansers to help ensure a safer product include:

• Non-toxic
• Biodegradable
• Phosphate free
• Petroleum free
• Contains no dye or bleaches
• Natural scent or fragrance

Choosing products that contain seals from third-party certification programs such as Green Seal or EcoLogo can ensure a safer alternative. Homemade cleaners can also work just as effectively without posing any dangers to human health or the environment. For greener cleaning ideas visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/pollutionprevention/green_cleaning.htm.

Just as important as choosing the right product is the proper disposal of chemical laden cleaners. Household hazardous waste products should be taken to one of the many collection centers available to the public. Disposing of these products in the trash or pouring them down the drain is not a safe method since the toxins can reappear in water supplies. DEP is partnering with many local collection centers during P2 week to support the effort. For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/pollutionprevention/p2week/default.htm.