According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans generate approximately 1.6 million tons of hazardous household waste every year. When most people think of hazardous waste, they generally think of materials used in construction, the defense industry, mining, manufacturing, and agriculture. Few people think of hazardous substances found in their homes. An examination of closets, bathroom cabinets, basement storage areas, the areas under sinks, and garages may reveal that our homes contain more hazardous materials than one might imagine (see Figure 1 for a sample list). Products can be considered hazardous from the perspective of their potential to contaminate land, water, or air. Materials are also considered hazardous if they pose health risks. In class, before the home portion of the activity, discuss with students that waste is an inevitable product of society. Our society produces a great deal of garbage as a result of human consumption. Students can be aware of this fact by observing, describing, and classifying the amount of garbage they produce in a single day at school, and may be surprised by the amount collected by the end of the day. How many garbage bags does the school generate in a day?