If not down the gully traps and stormwater drains, then what?
There are lots of things that people put down the Stormwater drains. You should never put anything down the Stormwater drains. They are only for rain.
Car products
|
None of these may go down drains or into landfill. They must only go to the special places at the transfer stations. |
Paints |
Be Paint-wise.
Buy water-based (acrylic) paint where possible. Offer leftovers to others to use, such as friends and schools. Give them in their
original containers to avoid mistakes and accidents. Or hand the paint to
Resene
or Enviropaints, who will recycle it.
Only a bit left? Let water-based paint dry in the can with the lid off (you can speed it up by adding cement, cat litter or sawdust) and put the can into the refuse bag. Brush solvent-based paint onto newspaper so that, as it dries, the solvent evaporates. Put the newspaper into the refuse bag. Some places will recycle empty tins. Resene and Enviropaints will accept them too for recycling. You can also use them as buckets or as your working paint-pot when you paint the next time. Lead-based (very old) and anti-fouling paint are very toxic and must be given to Resene, Enviropaints or the HazMobile. How do you wash your brushes? Over the gully trap, whether water-based or solvent-based. |
Food & drink |
Take it home and put it in the rubbish bag, or put it in a waste bin. |
Detergents
|
Don't use more than you need. |
Household and garden chemicals
|
Offer leftovers to others to use, such as friends and schools. Give them in their original containers to
avoid mistakes and accidents.
|
DIY products
|
Varnishes, solvents, glues and wood preservatives should be treated in the same way as solvent-based paint (above). |
If in doubt, ask your Local Authority for advice.
There is more information in our Waste-Wise flyer (81k pdf).
Next
For more information on this subject, go to the Gully Trap and Laundry Tub page.
Click here for the Septic Tank Do's.