​Residents can get a start on their spring cleaning, by disposing of unwanted chemicals for free on Saturday 21 September.

The City of Canterbury Bankstown’s second Household Chemical CleanOut of the year will be held at Bankstown Paceway, from 9am-3.30pm.

Household items that can be dropped off include:

• Left-over paint;
• Pesticides;
• Gas bottles;
• Pool chemicals;
• Car batteries;
• Fluorescent light globes and tubes; and
• Oils.

Mayor Khal Asfour said 574 residents handed in more than 21,000 kilograms of chemicals at the clean-out event in Campsie in April.

“If chemicals are thrown in the bin, they will go to landfill and can be very toxic and dangerous for the environment, particularly waterways,” he said.

“At these events, residents can safely drop-off household chemicals at no cost and they are then safely disposed of and, in some cases, recycled – like old batteries and fluorescent globes for example.”

Important tips for transporting household chemicals:

• Don’t mix chemicals, as this may produce dangerous reactions;
• Wherever possible, keep all chemicals in their original containers;
• Ensure containers are clearly labelled. If you do not know the contents, label the container ‘unknown chemical’;
• Wrap containers holding liquids securely in newspaper, place in sturdy bags and then in a plastic bucket or tray; and
• Transport chemicals in the boot of your car, away from passengers.

For more information, and for a full list of items that can be dropped off at the Household Chemical CleanOut event, visit cb.city/cleanout