Customs authorities maintain stringent regulatory requirements for hazardous materials across all stages of import and export operations, including declaration, inspection, storage, and transportation. Similarly, hazardous materials are omnipresent in our daily lives.
I. What Are Hazardous Materials?
The hazardous materials we commonly refer to include hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods.
Hazardous chemicals are highly toxic chemical substances and other chemicals that possess properties such as toxicity, corrosiveness, explosiveness, flammability, or oxidizing capacity, and pose hazards to human health, facilities, and the environment. Dangerous goods are substances and articles with hazardous characteristics including explosiveness, flammability, toxicity, infectivity, corrosiveness, or radioactivity that, during transportation, storage, production, use, and disposal, are prone to causing casualties, property damage, or environmental contamination and therefore require special protective measures.
In daily life, hazardous materials are found everywhere—such as fireworks and firecrackers, gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, and pesticides. A single moment of carelessness can result in catastrophic consequences. Nevertheless, various hazardous materials possess unique functions and applications, and modern human production and life cannot exist without them. Therefore, when handling or using hazardous materials in daily life, one should bear in mind precautions and minimize risks to the lowest possible level.
II. Common Hazardous Materials in Daily Life and Precautions
(1) Fireworks and Firecrackers
China has a tradition of setting off fireworks and firecrackers during festivals and celebratory occasions. When igniting them, care should be taken to keep them away from flammable and combustible materials, choose a safe location, and follow usage instructions for proper ignition. Children must always light firecrackers under adult supervision. During storage, open flames are strictly prohibited, electrical safety must be ensured, and they must not be stored together with other flammable and explosive materials. Should injury occur from setting off fireworks and firecrackers, medical attention should be sought promptly.
(2) Refined Petroleum Products
Common refined petroleum products in daily life include gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and fuel oil. These products are highly flammable and should be kept away from open flames and stored in cool locations with fire-fighting equipment readily available.
(3) Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Liquefied petroleum gas is a flammable gas commonly stored in cylinders in daily life. Since the cylinder contains no oxygen and the internal pressure far exceeds external pressure, if only the cylinder opening catches fire, the cylinder usually will not explode. However, if leakage has occurred over a period of time and a large quantity of combustible gas has accumulated in an enclosed space, contact with open flames or static electricity can readily cause an explosion.
When an initial fire occurs in a liquefied gas cylinder due to rupture or detachment of the hose, remain calm and do not panic. A damp towel can be used to cover the burning point, and once the flame is extinguished, the valve can be closed. Under no circumstances should a burning liquefied gas cylinder be turned over on the ground, as when the cylinder lies horizontally, gas will escape from the opening and expand rapidly. Combined with the high temperature generated by combustion, this can easily lead to an explosion causing injury.
(4) Lithium Batteries
Lithium batteries are widely used in smartphones, tablets, power banks, digital cameras, electronic toys, electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and other devices, making them ubiquitous in daily life. Improper use—such as overcharging, short circuits, or exposure to open flames—may result in fires or even explosions, causing casualties and property damage. Lithium batteries should be used in relatively mild environments, with an operating temperature generally between 0°C and 60°C. Prolonged charging should be avoided, particularly overnight charging while sleeping. When charging, original or reputable brand chargers should be used, as these chargers are designed with protective circuits that stop charging once the lithium battery is fully charged, effectively preventing overcharging.
(5) Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used in daily life for cleansing wounds, ulcers, burns, and similar injuries, and many households keep it on hand for emergencies. Due to its strong oxidizing and corrosive properties, it cannot be applied to metal surfaces and should be avoided when mixed with alkaline or oxidizing substances. When using, attention should be paid to the following: external disinfection only, not for oral ingestion; protective gloves should be worn during use (not required if highly diluted). Beyond its irritant and caustic effects on skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, hydrogen peroxide is flammable; the oxygen released during decomposition is a potent combustion accelerant, and burning in contact with flammable or organic materials may result in explosions.
III. Places Where One May Encounter Hazardous Materials in Daily Life
School chemistry laboratories may contain highly toxic reagents such as yellow phosphorus, potassium cyanide, sodium cyanide, and arsenic trioxide. Furthermore, upon entering gas stations, liquefied petroleum gas sales outlets, hospitals, chemical plants, and similar facilities, one may come into contact with hazardous materials used for daily life, industrial production, medical purposes, and other applications, including refined petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas, radioactive substances, and chemical products. In daily activities, one should strictly comply with the management regulations of such locations to prevent accidents.
(By Liu Changzhi, Wang Lei)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of China Inspection and Quarantine Times. The China Inspection and Quarantine Times version shall prevail.
