A-Z disposal guide

For your nearest chemical drum (20 litre) disposal site in regional areas, please visit drumMuster and go to drumMuster. 

ChemClear also provides agricultural and veterinary chemical users with collection and disposal for their unwanted chemicals, for more information visit ChemClear.

Including, but not limited to: herbicides, pesticides, methylated spirits / kerosene, coolant, diesel/petrol, cleaners, thermometers, nail polish and remover, paint strippers/thinners, poisons, acids, fertilisers, gypsum, lubricants etc.

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

If the unit contains any chemicals see ‘Chemicals’ entry for disposal details.

Lid / hose / sprayer

Put it in the waste to landfill bin.

Bottle

Remove any straps or accessories – rinse out thoroughly

Put it in the yellow/recycling bin.

Including, but not limited to: herbicides, pesticides, methylated spirits / kerosene, coolant, diesel/petrol, cleaners, thermometers, nail polish and remover, paint strippers/thinners, poisons, acids, fertilisers, gypsum, lubricants etc.

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

Aerosol cans- empty

Including empty aerosol paint cans.
Please make sure container is empty & remove the plastic lid.

 Empty aerosol cans - put in the yellow/recycling bin.

Aerosol cans - NOT empty

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Household chemicals and paints can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

Need to get rid of unwanted paint tins, batteries, chemicals, and other hazardous household waste for FREE? You'll be pleased to know that there are now 2 permanent drop off sites open 7 days a week.

Plympton

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road, North Plympton 

Open hours: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm

Heathfield

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road, Heathfield

Open hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

What do they accept?

Hazardous waste products are banned from landfill and require special disposal processing. These include:

• garden chemicals – pesticides,herbicides and fungicides
• insect repellents and rat poison
• cleaners – oven cleaner, toilet cleaner, bleach, ammonia and furniture polish
• automotive products – fuel, oils, lubricants and degreasers
• home improvement products – paints*, thinners and adhesives, batteries, and pool chlorine.

Please note: NO decanting allowed on site. Use original containers where possible.

*Paint can also be dropped off at Hackham Recyclers for free as part of the national Paintback program.

For more information visit www.greenindustries.sa.gov.au/hazwaste

View our online Recycling & Disposal Guide for safe disposal of unwanted items.

Household / building paint and paint tins

This CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill. 

Liquid paint, paint hardened in tins and empty paint tins can be dropped off at Hackham Recyclers as part of the national Paintback program. This program accepts paint from households and businesses.

• Hackham Recyclers 
  15 Cottage Lane, Hackham
  Phone: 8384 8667
  Please note that there are restrictions on what will/will not be accepted. For further information visit Paintback.

OR

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to the Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre, 181 Morphett Road, North Plympton. Ph: (08) 8295 5077. Open 7 days.

 OR

  Dry paint and empty paint cans can go in your red/waste to landfill bin.

Aerosol paint

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

Aerosol paint cans- empty

 Empty aerosol cans - put in the yellow/recycling bin.

Craft paint

Liquid paint CANNOT go in your household bins.

 Add liquid paint to some clumping cat litter. Once it dries, remove all the clumps and dispose of it in the waste bin (preferably wrap it in newspaper or put it in a bag).

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Fuels, paints and household chemicals can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely and also please be aware that Hazardous Wastes cannot be disposed of in the general waste bin as they are harmful to human health and the environment.

You can take your unwanted paint and household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
Ph: 08 8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
Ph: 08 8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

Liquid wax

e.g. car wax, floor wax are chemical (hazardous) wastes.

These CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.
See Chemicals.

Candle

Most modern candles are made from paraffin wax, beeswax, soy or palm wax If unable to reuse or recycle remaining wax at home, put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

Surfboard wax

Surfboard wax can be removed and recycled – visit Surfer Today for a DIY guide

OR

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin

See also: Boxes, baskets and crates (for waxed cardboard box), Waxed paper.

Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

While tracing paper is often made from treated wood pulp, some types now have a silicone coating, are made from synthetic materials like polyester, or treated with chemicals like sulfuric acid or oils to increase transparency.

Bamboo

Put it in the green organics bin.

Metal 

If it is in good condition, reuse or give to charity.

OR

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Plastic 

Plastic cutlery and utensils are usually too small, thin or blended with other material e.g. silicone, so cannot be recycled.

OR

 Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

PLA - Polylactic Acid can be made from corn starch or synthetic plastic or a combination of the two. Unless it has the Australian compostable seedling logo on it, then it goes in the waste bin.

Unless it displays the logo it is NOT compostable as it requires specific environmental conditions to begin to break down.

Compostable PLA - Look for the logo before placing ANY ‘compostable’ packaging in the organics bin: 

Wooden

If untreated and clean (no silicon, plastic or metal parts) it can be composted. 

 Put it in the green organics bin.

OR

If the spoon is varnished, blended materials or treated with chemicals, place it in the waste bin.

 Put it in the red/waste to landfill bin.

This is a hazardous waste - this CANNOT go in your household bins or to landfill.

Expired hand sanitiser will still have flammable properties, even if some of the alcohol has evaporated. For this reason, it is vital to dispose of expired hand sanitiser responsibly. Do not pour it down the drain.

You can take sanitiser and other unwanted household chemicals to:

Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton
8295 5077

Open: Monday to Friday 7am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 10am–3pm.

OR

Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre
32 Scott Creek Road
Heathfield
8339 4323

Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am–4pm, weekends 9am–4pm.

 Put it in the waste to landfill bin.

Photographic paper is typically made from combinations of paper, plastic and chemicals.

Older photographs especially have high levels of silver, mercury, and selenium that render them unsuitable for recycling. Newer photographs, which are printed using a photo printer, are coated with a very thin layer of polyethylene to control water absorption and speed drying.

Slide destruction

If you wish to destroy slides for confidentiality reasons, the safest, simplest, and cheapest way of destroying the images is to drop the slide film into boiling water. The gelatine-bearing image layers will quickly melt, slide off the film base into a black gelatinous mass which you discard into your normal household waste bin.

Reverse cycle units or ducted evaporative units

If replacing your air conditioner, request that retailers or installers remove and dispose of the old machine. Some major retailers offer “take-back services” and removal of packaging, including polystyrene

OR

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Air conditioner pads

There are chemicals in the cooler pads that deem the cardboard not recyclable.

 Put in the red/waste to landfill bin.

OR

Contact a waste to landfill site.

Portable evaporative coolers

E-waste items CANNOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Drain out water.

If it's in working condition consider giving it away, swapping or selling it.

OR

• drop-off at an Unplug N’Drop hub for free e-waste recycling

• Contact a scrap metal recycler.

Ducting

Contact a scrap metal recycler.

OR

Contact a waste to landfill site.

Compostable packaging is designed to break down naturally in the right conditions. It’s made from plant-based materials like wood pulp, potato starch, bagasse (sugarcane fibre), fungi, cotton, and palm leaves. These materials decompose within a reasonable time and don’t leave behind toxic chemicals or harmful particles.

If the packaging is clearly marked as certified compostable in Australia with the Seedling or Home compostable logo, then it can go in the green organics bin/home compost.

Important note:

Biodegradable is NOT the same as compostable – If packaging only says biodegradable, it should not go in the organics bin.

Compostable items don’t belong in the recycling bin – They can’t be recycled the same way as other materials.

Seedling logo – approved to go in the kerbside organics bin

Home compostable logo – approved to go in your home compost or the kerbside organics bin,

The AS 5810 certification requires compostable products to disintegrate after 180 days and fully decompose within 12 months in a home compost.

For packaging without the Seedling/Home compostable logo:

• Rigid packaging (e.g., a tray or tub) should go in the yellow recycling bin.
• Soft, plastic-like packaging (similar to a bread bag) should go in the waste bin.