Chemical disposal
Remember you can contact Council on 1300 883 699 if you have any questions about disposal of unused or unwanted chemicals
Disposing of unwanted chemical products in your general waste or recycling bin is not safe as they can be flammable, corrosive, explosive, or toxic.
Chemicals incorrectly disposed of in your general waste or recycling bin can cause fires in bins or garbage trucks, creating a safety hazard for our staff, the community, and the environment.
Put into landfills untreated they can pollute the environment and affect ground water.
Sent to recycling centres they are a safety hazard for our staff who hand-sort recycling and may cause recyclables to be sent to landfill as a result of the contamination.
What are domestic chemicals?
- Domestic chemicals are everyday products you buy from supermarkets and hardware stores, for example:
- paint and solvents, including aerosol spray paints
- household cleaning products and bleach
- garden chemicals
- pool chemicals
- car-care products
- Medicines you purchase from the supermarket, pharmacy, dentist, doctor, or vet.
- Engine and Cooking Oils
How can I dispose of household chemical wastes safely?
Council has a number of methods for disposal of different domestic chemical wastes:
- Treatment through the sewer system
- Recycling programs (customer drop-off at waste facility)
- Treatment before landfilling (customer drop-off at waste facility)
- Direct to landfill (household general waste bin)
What about my empty chemical containers?
Once your domestic chemical containers have been cleaned (well rinsed, with no chemical residue on the inside or outside), you can recycle these through your household commingled recycling bin, or place them in your general waste bin if they are not recyclable.
Waste facility tips
- Always declare your chemicals at the Gatehouse
- If it’s not in the original container, make sure you label it!
- Never store chemicals in food or drink containers
- Make sure your chemicals are safe before you drop them off – leaking or broken containers will not be accepted until they have been made safe for our staff to handle
Waste facility acceptance
- Domestic Chemicals - free disposal - 5L maximum per visit.
- Paint - disposal limited to 20L containers max - up to 100 L per visit.
- Oils - Disposal limited to 20L containers max - up to 50 L per visit.
AROUND THE HOUSE
Kitchen
Bathroom
Garage
Outdoors
* Sewer - after mixing the chemical with lots of water, you can put small quantities of these products down the sewer (through your toilet or sink). Never put these chemicals into septic tanks, or down stormwater drains because they will harm the environment.
‡Medicines – any medicine you purchase from the supermarket, pharmacy, dentist, or doctor can be returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal. Any animal medications can be returned to a vet practice for safe disposal.
Commercial chemical disposal
If you have unwanted commercial AgVet chemicals or empty commercial chemical containers, ask us about the following collection or recycling schemes:
MORE INFORMATION: Chemclear Drumuster
For all other commercial chemical wastes, please contact your local commercial chemical waste service provider.