South Australia · Adelaide
Paint and chemical disposal in Adelaide
In Adelaide, wet paint and household chemicals never go in a kerbside bin or down a drain. Leftover paint goes free to a Paintback drop-off. Solvents, pool and garden chemicals, batteries and gas bottles go to the free Green Industries SA household chemicals and paint depots. Water-based paint dried solid can go in general rubbish.
Sources Green Industries SA: hazardous waste and paint drop-offsPaintback: find a locationEPA South Australia: disposing of waste
What do I do with paint & chemicals in SA?
- Leftover paint in the tin Paintback collects paint and its packaging at drop-off sites nationally, generally up to 20 litres per container. Free for households.
- Water-based paint you want gone now Leave the lid off in a safe spot until it dries solid, then the hardened tin goes in general waste in most councils.
- Solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides A household hazardous waste program or permanent drop-off. Never mix containers.
Green Industries SA chemical and paint depots: free depots in metropolitan Adelaide taking paint, solvents, pool and garden chemicals, batteries, light globes and gas bottles.
Nearest drop-off: Which Bin SA
Where can I take old paint in Adelaide?
Paintback operates in South Australia, with a location finder and mobile collection events, and it takes up to 100 litres per visit in containers of up to 20 litres. Green Industries SA also runs free household chemical and paint depots in metropolitan Adelaide that accept oil and water-based liquid paints up to 100 litres, and its own hazardous waste page directs readers to Paintback for the nearest drop-off.
Can I put paint tins in the bin in SA?
Only once the contents are solid. The EPA says paint, varnish, sealants and adhesives that have solidified can go in normal rubbish, so leave a water-based tin open in a safe, ventilated spot until it hardens. Liquid paint never goes in a bin. Most hazardous wastes are banned from South Australian landfill under the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010.
What do I do with pool chemicals, pesticides or an unlabelled bottle?
Take them to a Green Industries SA household chemicals and paint depot. They are free and accept acids and alkalis, cleaning products, garden and pool chemicals, solvents, photographic chemicals, poisons, oils, fire extinguishers and gas cylinders. Keep everything in its original container and never mix them. Ammunition goes to SA Police, asbestos and tyres to the EPA, pharmaceuticals back to a pharmacy, and agricultural chemicals to ChemClear.
Why can't it go down the drain?
Stormwater is not treated before it reaches the river or the sea, and the sewer is not built for solvents or pool chemicals either. Nothing goes down a drain, a stormwater grate or onto the ground. Do not tip a bottle out to empty it first: the depots take the contents as they are, and an unlabelled container is exactly what they exist for.
Need it gone this week?
Compare council collection, recycling and pickup options on the skip bin hire page for Adelaide.