Wellington Shire Council is encouraging residents to safely dispose of common household and garden chemicals for free at an event to be held in Sale on Saturday 28 January 2023.

Held in partnership with Sustainability Victoria, the free Detox your Home initiative encourages residents to drop off any unwanted chemicals beginning to stockpile around the house or shed, such as aerosol cans, drain cleaners, fertilisers, fuels, glues, herbicides, paint strippers, pool chemicals and more.

Once the chemicals are collected, qualified chemists will recycle or reuse the dropped-off chemicals, with some even used to create energy. Last year’s event in Sale collected 175 items, spanning 16 different materials.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said highly toxic items, such as chemicals, should never be put in rubbish bins, poured down the drain, or left out on the nature strip during hard rubbish collections.

“Household chemicals cannot be accepted at waste facilities due to the risk of fire or explosion, Detox your Home is licensed to accept toxic chemicals and staffed by trained specialists, and is a great way to safely clear out the shed or under the sink,” he said.

Toxic chemicals dropped off to the Detox your Home team are immediately sorted by the chemists, placed in sealed drums and transported to a specialist waste treatment facility. Every effort is made to recycle chemicals or use them for other purposes.

Paint is not accepted at Detox your Home events.

Detox your Home will take place at Gippsland Regional Livestock Exchange, located on Saleyards Road in Sale, between 9am and midday on Saturday, 28 January 2023.

To register or for more information, search ‘Sale’ at eventbrite.com.au and select ‘Detox your Home – Sale’.

Accepted items

• Cleaning acids and alkalis, including spirit of salt, bleach, vinegar and rust remover, hydrochloric acid, aerosol cans, ammonia-based cleaning agents (like oven, drain, shower and glass cleaners), detergents, disinfectants, floor-care products and waxes;
• Cosmetics, make-up, nail polish and remover
• Fire extinguishers
• Fertiliser, herbicides, insect spray, pesticides, pool chemicals like liquid pool chlorine and pool salts, weed killers, rat poison
• Fuel (like petrol, diesel and kerosene), anti-freeze, brake fluid, car body filler, car wax, coolant, transmission fluid
• Turps, thinners and paint strippers (paint not accepted).
• Glues, including water-based and solvents
• Pharmaceuticals (medicines can also be disposed of safely at your local pharmacy through the Returned Unused Medicines project)

Items that aren’t accepted

Ammunition, asbestos, batteries (household and car), chemicals used by businesses for industrial and commercial purposes, farm chemicals, fluorescent lights, gas cylinders, medical waste, motor oil, paint and printer cartridges.

Depending on the waste, most of these items can be deposited at transfer stations. Please check Wellington Shire Council’s website for the types of waste accepted.