Where to Dispose of Old Paint and Chemicals in Adelaide (Free)

Almost every garage and shed clean-out we do turns up the same things: half-used tins of paint, old pool chlorine, rusty cans of weed killer, a gas bottle or two, and a few containers of mystery liquid. None of it can go in your bins or in a council hard waste pile — but in Adelaide, householders can get rid of it for free.

The free option: Green Industries SA depots

Green Industries SA funds free drop-off depots for household chemicals and paint. The service is for householders and farmers only — not businesses.

Depots closest to the north-east

NAWMA Resource Recovery Centre, Edinburgh North Gate 3, Bellchambers Road, Edinburgh North. Open weekdays and weekends (check current hours). The most convenient option for Salisbury, Elizabeth, Smithfield, Andrews Farm and the Gawler side of the region.

Campbelltown Works Depot 6 Newton Road, Campbelltown. Weekday mornings only. Handy for Highbury, Hope Valley, Dernancourt and the southern Tea Tree Gully suburbs. Campbelltown Council recommends checking with them first about hours and items.

Other metro depots

• Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre, 181 Morphett Road, North Plympton (open seven days)
• Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre, 32 Scott Creek Road, Heathfield (open seven days)

Hours change from time to time, so check the Green Industries SA website before you load the car.

What the depots accept

According to Green Industries SA, the depots take:

• Paint — oil and water-based, up to 100 litres
• Solvents — paint thinners, turpentine
• Varnishes and stains
• Garden chemicals — pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides
• Pool chemicals
• Cleaning products and other household chemicals
• Acids and alkalis, poisons, fumigants and photographic chemicals
• Engine oil and other oils, brake fluid and coolants
• Gas cylinders and LPG bottles
• Fire extinguishers
• Batteries (NiCad, lithium, mercury) and products with embedded batteries
• Light globes

What they don’t accept (and where it goes instead)

• Asbestos and tyres — Green Industries SA directs these to the EPA for advice.
• Ammunition and explosives — contact SA Police.
• Pharmaceuticals — take them to a pharmacy; the Return Unwanted Medicines program lists locations.
• Fertiliser — use it up, or donate it to a community garden.
• Household smoke detectors — remove the battery (which can go to the depot) and put the detector in your waste bin.

Paint: a few extra options

• Paintback. The national Paintback scheme takes leftover paint and packaging at collection points across Australia. Their website lists your nearest drop-off.
• NAWMA centres. NAWMA lists paint as free at its Resource Recovery Centres.
• Empty, dried-out tins. Tea Tree Gully’s hard waste takes empty paint tins, and NAWMA’s hard waste takes empty, clean tins with the lids removed. Tins with liquid paint left inside are excluded by both.

Small amounts of leftover water-based paint can be left with the lid off somewhere safe and well-ventilated, away from kids and pets, until they dry out completely.

How to transport chemicals safely

1. Keep things in their original containers with the labels on. Depots generally don’t allow decanting on site.
2. Check lids are tight, and stand containers upright in a box or crate.
3. Keep incompatible products apart — pool chlorine and acids, for example, should never be packed together.
4. Don’t mix anything to “save space”.
5. Carry them in the boot or tray, not the cabin, and go straight there.
6. Leaking or unlabelled container? Put it inside a larger sealed container and tell the depot staff what you know about it.

Gas bottles should be carried upright and secured so they can’t roll, with the valve closed.

Why it can’t go in the bin

Chemicals and paint in the bin can leak into other waste, harm workers and collection trucks, and end up in soil and waterways. Batteries are a particular problem — damaged lithium batteries can start fires in bins and trucks. That’s why the safest place for all of it is a dedicated depot.

Common questions

Is there a limit on how much I can drop off?

For paint, Green Industries SA lists up to 100 litres. For other chemicals, if you’re clearing out a large quantity — say, a farm shed or a late relative’s garage — call Green Industries SA before you go so the depot knows what to expect.

Can my business use the depots?

No. The free depots are for householders and farmers. Businesses need a licensed commercial waste contractor for hazardous waste.

What about old fire extinguishers and gas bottles?

Both are on the Green Industries SA accepted list. NAWMA also lists gas cylinders up to 9kg as free at its Resource Recovery Centres. Keep the valves closed and carry them upright.

What about unlabelled containers?

Don’t open, sniff or mix them. Keep them upright, put them in a sealed tub, and let the depot staff know they’re unidentified.

Can I put dried paint tins in my recycling bin?

Check your council’s bin guide, as rules differ. The safe option is council hard waste — empty, dry tins are on both Tea Tree Gully’s and NAWMA’s accepted lists.

What we can and can’t take

We can’t take liquid paint, chemicals, oils, fuels or gas bottles — like most rubbish removal services, our loads go to waste and recycling facilities that don’t accept them. (Our guide to what rubbish removal can’t take explains why.)

What we can do is make the rest of the job easy. During a garage or shed clean-out, we’ll set the chemicals, paint and gas bottles aside in one spot so you can drop them off in a single trip — and take away everything else: the old shelving, broken tools, boxes, scrap metal and general junk.

Clearing out the shed?

Get the hazardous bits sorted, then let us handle the rest. Check your suburb on our areas we service page and send us a photo of the shed or garage for an upfront price.