27/05/2015

Detox Your Home - Coming to a Shire nearyou

Old cleaners, fertilizers, poisons and weed killers stored around your home can now be safely disposed of without putting a strain on the environment.

Sustainability Victoria is providing a free Detox Your Home service, in partnership with Councils throughout the Loddon Mallee region, to collect potentially dangerous and unwanted household chemical products.

Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Senior Waste Management Officer David Soutar said this free service can help householdersminimise the danger of accidents and reduce the risk to the environment.

“Leaving unwanted household chemicals around the home, garage and garden shed increases the risk of accidents. This is why we encourage people to take these materials to the collection sites”.

“If products like poisons and solvents end up in landfill or in our waterways they can cause significant environmental problems,” Mr Soutarsaid.

The collected materials will be treated and recycled, or disposed of safely by a specialist team.

The first collection will be in Swan Hill on Saturday 13th June. Collections are also scheduled in Bendigo and Mildura in October and Shepparton and Ballarat in November and December. Details will be made available to residents by Councils, Sustainability Victoria and the LMWRRG closer the collection dates.

Items that can be dropped off include:

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

Items that CANNOT be dropped off include:

Motor oil

Paint

Batteries

CFL’s

Gas Cylinders

Industrial and commercial chemicals

Asbestos

Ammunition

The Swan Hill Detox Your Home collection:

Date: Saturday, 13 June
Time: 8am – 12pm
Location: Swan Hill Council Depot, 56 Salesyard Road, Swan Hill 3585

-ENDS-

For more information on this column please contact: Rachel McConville 0419 106 461