POLLUTION REDUCTION

POLLUTION REDUCTION

Everyday tips

Several vendors at Saturday’s second annual Mahoning Riverfest at the B&O Station Banquet Hall in downtown Youngstown offered ways to cut down on products and waste materials such as pesticides, litter, grease, pet waste, paint and antifreeze from polluting the region’s waterways. They include:

Washing outdoor items with biodegradable soaps.

Spreading mulch and adding rocks, trees and shrubs to decrease erosion.

Inspecting septic systems regularly.

Installing a compost bin in the yard because compost adds nutrients to lawns and gardens.

Reusing, recycling and properly disposing of trash and toxic household chemicals.

Running washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded.

Placing a drip pan under a vehicle with an oil leak and cleaning spills with absorbent materials such as kitty litter, then tossing into the trash.

Refraining from pouring unwanted chemicals on the ground or down storm drains, and diverting such drains and basement pumps into septic systems.

Educating neighbors and being a storm-drain marking volunteer.

Source: Mahoning County Engineer’s Office