Detox your home of dangerous chemicals this February

Detox your home of dangerous chemicals this February

Published on 24 January 2020

Baw Baw Shire residents are urged to dispose of highly toxic household chemicals at the upcoming free and easy ‘Detox your home’ day.

‘Detox your home’ is a safe, free and easy-to-use service run by Sustainability Victoria to provide communities with a free, easy and safe place to dispose of common, highly toxic household chemicals.

This is a great opportunity to get rid of unwanted – and potentially dangerous – items like pesticides, detergents and weed killers.

Upcoming ‘Detox your home’ details

When: 9.00am to 2.00pm on Saturday 22 February Where: Latrobe City Council Corporate Headquarters, 141 Commercial Road, Morwell

It is not safe to throw chemical products out with regular rubbish collections as there are a number of dangers associated with this approach – the products could explode, ignite, leak or mix with other chemicals.

They shouldn’t be poured down the drain either – they pollute our waterways, harm animals and vegetation, contaminate drinking water supply and make rivers and beaches unsafe for swimming.

Accepted 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 and 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 Thinner, turps and paint stripper Pool chemicals Rat poison Solvents Transmission fluid Wood preservatives and finishes - oils and varnish Non-accepted items Ammunition or firearms Asbestos Car batteries Household batteries Chemicals used by businesses Farm chemicals Fluorescent lights Gas bottles Motor oil Paint

Less toxic items such as household paint, batteries and fluorescent lights can be disposed of throughout the year at Council’s Transfer Stations at Lardner, Trafalgar, Neerim South and Erica.

‘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 recovered and diverted from landfill.

For more information go to www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/detoxyourhome

Quotes attributable to Mayor Cr Danny Goss

"Household chemicals can be dangerous. They can harm your family and your pets, add extra fuel to a house fire, release toxic fumes and pollute the environment for future generations. This is why residents should take advantage of the free ‘Detox your home’ service to safely dispose of unwanted items."

"Do the right thing for your loved ones and your environment, and head down to Morwell to dispose of common household chemicals safely."