Dispose of household chemicals

Different recycling and disposal methods are needed for these toxic types of waste. Never put them in your household bins.

Free

When you need to do this

If you have leftover household chemicals at home – including paints, solvents, pesticides and even cleaning products – you must dispose of them safely.

Take them to a Household Chemical CleanOut. This NSW Government program is a free service.

Examples of toxic household chemicals that need to be disposed safely.

What you need to do

Find a drop-off location and date that suits you

We’ll be hosting our next Household Chemical CleanOut event in 2025. We’ll update this page when the date is confirmed.

To find other drop-off locations and dates, visit the Household Chemical CleanOut website or call the NSW environment line on 131 555.
Transport your items carefully

Bring your items in the boot and seal them tight. Don’t mix anything and if you don’t know the contents, just label the item as ‘unknown chemical’.

You must stay in your vehicle at the drop-off site – an attendant will come to you. People walking or riding can access a separate drop-off area.

If you’re a building manager or have a lot of chemicals

Before you start

Work out what you can and can’t bring to a chemical drop-off event.

- solvents and household cleaners
- paints and thinners
- pesticides and herbicides
- poisons
- pool chemicals
- motor oils, fuels and fluids
- acids and alkalis
- car batteries
- household batteries and light globes (see where else these can be recycled)
- hobby chemicals such as photographic chemicals
- printer ink and toner cartridges
- gas bottles
- fire extinguishers
- fluorescent lamps
- smoke alarms and smoke detectors
- nail polish and nail polish remover
- cooking oils.
Only household quantities are accepted. The maximum container size is 20kg or 20L per item, except for paint. Up to 100L in 20L containers of paint is accepted.
- Business-related and commercial quantities.
- Other household items including electronics, textiles, furniture, whitegoods, metals and more.
Check if your household items are accepted at our recycling events and drop-off locations, book a pick-up, or our doorstep recycling service.

After you finish

Many chemicals are recycled while others are treated for safe disposal. For example:

Leftover paint is mixed with other solvents and used in cement manufacturing. The metal paint tins are recycled.
Any remaining gas is taken out of gas cylinders and the steel in the bottle is recycled. Many bottles are returned to the hire market – so they’re reused rather than recycled.
Lead, acid and plastic in batteries are recovered and recycled.
Fluoro tubes, which contain mercury, are crushed to separate the phosphor powder from the glass. This powder is processed to capture any mercury, which is then sold for a range of industrial uses. The leftover glass and metal are put back into the recycling system.