The Surf Coast community safely disposed of thousands of unwanted toxic chemicals during a Detox Your Home event.
Close to 3000 kilograms of toxic chemicals were collected during the Sustainability Victoria event in the Surf Coast Shire during October, including a highly toxic Schedule X chemical.
The pesticide was used to fumigate rabbit burrows but is being phased out as an approved Australian chemical and requires special handling for safe disposal.
Councillor Liz Pattison said she thanked the community for supporting the event and bringing their chemicals in to be safely disposed of.
“I know these events take a lot of work to put on, so it’s nice to see so many people playing their part to keep these chemicals out of the waste stream and our waterways,” she said.
Cr Pattison said the most unusual items dropped off were several jars of preserved laboratory specimens in formaldehyde from a former veterinary practice.
The chemicals collected included 1,361kg of flammable liquids, 51kg of photographic chemicals, 181kg of aerosol cans, 545kg of garden and pest management chemicals, and 68kg of mystery chemicals.
All the chemicals were taken to a Melbourne processing facility, where a team of chemists sorted them into the appropriate recovery or disposal pathways.
Visit surfcoast.vic.gov.au/otherwaste or download SCRRApp for more information on how to safely dispose of household items.
