Gippsland › Latest news › Bass Coast Local News

Clean up chemicals and detox your home

‘Detox your Home’ – a safe, free and easy-to-use service to dispose of common, highly toxic household chemicals

By Portal Admin - 22nd July 2018 - Back to News

Bass Coast Shire residents are being urged to ‘Detox your Home’ – a safe, free and easy-to-use service to dispose of common, highly toxic household chemicals without harming your health or the environment.

The household chemical collection program is coming to Wonthaggi on Saturday, 11 August from 10.00am to 12.00pm and Bass Coast Shire Council, in partnership with Sustainability Victoria, is encouraging residents to take the opportunity to get rid of unwanted – and potentially dangerous – items like pesticides, detergents and weed killers.

"Household chemicals can cause harm and be the protagonist of a serious unintended bad accident in and around the home," Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Pamela Rothfield said.

"Not just potential direct harm to children, family and pets but the chemicals release fumes, pollute the environment and increase the fuel load in and around your house.

"We are asking our residents to continue acting responsibly by disposing of chemicals appropriately."

Cr Rothfield said putting them in with the regular rubbish collection could ignite, explode, leak or mix with other chemicals and also contaminate the landfill cell itself once deposited by the truck.

‘’Sometimes we don’t think it through and realise that by pouring them down the drain they could pollute waterways, harm animals and vegetation, contaminate the drinking water supply and making rivers and beaches unsafe for swimming. That is not a great outcome for anyone.’’

The Detox your Home mobile collection will be held at the Wonthaggi Transfer Station, 180 Cameron Street, Wonthaggi.

Detox your Home is administered by Sustainability Victoria in partnership with local governments and is funded by the Victorian landfill levy. The products collected are recycled for recovery and diverted from landfill.

Residents can drop off the following items:

• Acids and alkalis
• Aerosols (dispose of empty cans in your household recycling bin)
• Anti-freeze
• Brake fluid
• Car body filler
• Car wax
• Cleaners - ammonia based
• Cooking oil
• Coolant
• Detergents, disinfectants & drain cleaners
• Fertiliser
• Fire extinguishers
• Floor-care products and waxes
• Fuels - petrol, diesel, kerosene, other
• Glues - water-based and solvents
• Herbicides and weed killers
• Insect spray/pesticides
• Nail polish and remover
• Oven cleaner
• Paint stripper, thinner and turps
• Pool chemicals
• Rat poison
• Solvents
• Transmission fluid
• Wood preservatives and finishes (oils and varnish)

• Ammunition or firearms
• Asbestos
• Car batteries
• Household batteries
• Chemicals used by businesses
• Farm chemicals
• Fluorescent lights
• Gas bottles
• Motor oil
• Paint

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com