Hands up if you have dry glue, left over paint, flat batteries or old insecticides hidden in your garden shed or garage.

Then it’s time to detox your home – a free service provided by Sustainability Victoria in conjunction with the City of Bayside.

The Mayor of Bayside, Cr James Long, urged everyone to take advantage of the Detox Your Home day on Saturday 23 May.

“It’s easy to let such items build up around your home and this is a great opportunity to safely dispose of potentially dangerous household chemical products without putting a strain on the environment,” he said.

The City of Bayside encourages both residents and non-residents to look through their sheds and homes and identify products they no longer want or need.

“It’s also worth asking elderly neighours or those without a car if they need help in sorting through such items and offering to remove the products,” Cr Long said.

Residents can bring their unwanted toxic products to the council offices where a specialist team immediately sorts and transports them to a waste treatment facility.

Chemicals accepted include:

• paints
• batteries
• gas cylinders
• insecticides and pesticides
• kitchen and bathroom cleaners
• brake fluids, fuels and coolants
• poisonous household and garden products
• solvents and glues
• photographic chemicals
• fire extinguishers.

Materials not accepted include:

• chemicals used by business for industrial or commercial purposes
• ammunition and flares
• farm chemicals
• containers over 20 litres.

When transporting chemicals:

• Travel with your car windows down if carrying flammable or odorous materials
• Keep chemicals in their original containers
• Ensure lids are tightly fitted. Protect taps on drums so that the tap does not break off
• Place containers of liquids in a tray or plastic bucket so that they do not spill or fall
• Pack powders and solids securely
• Keep corrosive chemicals, such as battery acid, away from poisons
• Keep oxidising agents, such as peroxide, away from all other materials
• Double-wrap old liquid containers in plastic bags to prevent leaking

For further information call Sustainability Victoria on 1800 35 32 33 or visit www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au 

What: Detox Your Home

When: Saturday 23 May – 8am to 4pm

Where: Council offices carpark, 76 Royal Avenue, Sandringham