Victoria · Melbourne
Paint and chemical disposal in Melbourne
In Victoria, paint and household chemicals never go in a kerbside bin or down a drain. Leftover paint goes free to a Paintback drop-off, up to 100 litres a visit in containers of 20 litres or less. Cleaning products, solvents, pool chemicals and pesticides go to a Detox Your Home event.
Sources Paintback location finderVictorian Government: Detox Your HomeVictorian e-waste landfill ban (vic.gov.au)
What do I do with paint & chemicals in VIC?
- 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.
Detox Your Home: free household chemical collection events run with local councils across Victoria, plus permanent sites taking household batteries and fluorescent lights.
Nearest drop-off: Council waste and recycling services, all 79 Victorian councils (archived Sustainability Victoria page)
What is Detox Your Home?
Victoria's free household chemical disposal program, run with local councils. Around 40 pop-up events run across the state each year, staffed by trained chemists, and any Victorian can attend any event, not only the one in their own council area. It takes cleaning products, fuels and flammable liquids, pool chemicals, car wax, anti-freeze, brake fluid, pesticides and herbicides. Check the current event calendar before you go.
Where can I take old paint in Melbourne?
Paintback operates throughout Australia and runs its recovery facility in Melbourne. Drop-off is free for households, accepting up to 100 litres per visit in containers up to 20 litres, covering solvent-based and water-based paint and the packaging. The cost is already paid: a levy of 15 cents plus GST per litre is added to the wholesale price. Find sites at paintback.com.au/find-location.
Can I put paint tins in the bin in Victoria?
Only when the paint inside is water-based and has dried solid. Leave the lid off somewhere safe and out of reach until it hardens, then the tin goes in general waste where your council allows it. Wet paint, oil-based paint and solvents never go in any Victorian bin: they go to Paintback or a Detox Your Home event.
Where do batteries and fluorescent lights go in Victoria?
Detox Your Home also runs roughly 30 permanent collection sites that take a narrower range than the pop-up events: household batteries and fluorescent lights. Loose batteries are also covered by B-cycle drop-off points. Neither belongs in a kerbside bin, and since 1 July 2019 anything with a battery has been banned from Victorian landfill anyway.
Need it gone this week?
Compare council collection, recycling and pickup options on the skip bin hire page for Melbourne.