2 surprisingly dangerous goods you use all the time

(NC) You probably don’t read the label of everything that enters your home, and there are likely a few items in your home that you may not realize are dangerous. Below are two items you should know about to keep your home safe.

Batteries – a burn and fire risk
Lithium batteries are in many everyday devices, from cellphones to toys to power tools. While there are many safety standards for them, these lightweight, long-lasting power sources can be dangerous if they are not made, stored or handled properly. In fact, according to federal regulations they are classified as dangerous goods.

To avoid chemical burns, fires or explosions, make sure to only buy batteries from reputable brands and retailers and avoid aftermarket or third-party batteries. Third-party lithium batteries can be of poor quality or counterfeit and have been shown to lead to more fires.

Keep batteries out of reach of children and supervise playtime to prevent kids from swallowing small cell batteries found in many children’s toys.

Aerosols – a risk of explosion
You may already know that aerosol canisters will explode if heated. But you might be surprised by how many day-to-day products come in these canisters. In addition to hairspray, you can find cooking oils, sunscreens, perfumes, air fresheners and cleaning products in these pressurized cans. Think about how many you might have in your house while you’re out shopping.

If you buy a product that comes in an aerosol canister, be sure to store it away from heat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Just like lithium batteries, products in aerosol canisters are classified as dangerous goods by Transport Canada. This means that they require a special shipping label when being transported or shipped.

If you have to return these products through the mail, make sure that the package includes the appropriate dangerous goods shipping label.

These labels are required for all packages carrying items classified as dangerous goods. You can find more information about the regulations at tc.canada.ca/en/dangerous-goods.