More than 2 million poisoning accidents are reported annually to Poison Control Centers, with a vast majority of the accidents occurring in the home and involving children. By taking a few safety precautions, you can help prevent accidental poisonings:

• Store medicines and household products in their original containers.
• Store medicines and household products where children cannot see or reach them.
• Never sniff a household product container to learn what is inside.
• Safety latches on drawers and cabinets, and child resistant caps on bottles are helpful in keeping poisons out of the hands of children.
• Always read the label before taking or giving medicine, and use medicine only as directed by your doctor or the label.
• Use household products according to package directions. Mixing household products can cause dangerous gases to form.
• Turn on fans and open windows when using chemicals indoors.
• Wear protective clothing--long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks, shoes and gloves--when spraying pesticides and other chemicals. Pesticides can be absorbed through the skin and can be extremely poisonous. Stay away from areas that have recently been sprayed.
• Keep appliances, furnaces, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves in good repair, and install a carbon monixide alarm in your home.
• Be mindful that many household plants are poisonous.

Reduce accidental poisonings from hazards stored in your home by bringing them to a Household Hazardous Waste Collection.  Berrien County residents can safely recycle or dispose of expired medicines, mercury thermometers, compact flourescent light bulbs, used petroleum products and other chemicals to prevent accidental poisonings and protect the environment.  For more information go to www.berriencounty.org/recycle