Chemical recycling process
Ever wondered what happens to the household chemicals you drop off at a Detox Your Home event?
All chemicals collected are sorted according to type and then placed into sealed containers that are taken (by a licensed transporter) to a specialist waste treatment facility.
Old fuel and hydrocarbons make up the majority of the waste collected. The remaining material generally consists of small volumes of items such as cleaning products and pesticides.
Every effort is made to re-use chemicals or to recycle them. As a last resort a small amount of chemicals are stored in secure landfills in line with the Environment Protection Authority requirements.
| Item | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Acids | Acids are made neutral using alkali waste and are disposed of at a specialist waste facility. |
| Aerosols | The aerosols are crushed under controlled conditions allowing the propellants to be filtered and any chemical wastes to be captured for further treatment. The metal containers are then recycled. |
| Alkali based products | Alkalis are made neutral using acid waste and are disposed of at a specialist waste facility. |
| Arsenic based products | Arsenic material is stabilised made inactive and enclosed in a cement based material. This is then disposed of in a licensed landfill. |
| Automotive products (oils grease coolants) | Oils are recycled into base oils or are used to make fuel oils. |
| Cyanide | Cyanides are chemically broken down into inert bi-products. |
| Fire extinguishers - non halon | Steel is recycled from fire extinguishers. Gases and products captured and reused or disposed of in licensed waste services. |
| General household chemicals (for example: cleaners) | Chemicals are treated and then disposed of via a permitted trade waste line or landfill. |
| Halogenated solvents | These wastes are mixed with other waste solvents and used as an alternative fuel. |
| Heavy metals | Heavy metals are stabilised made inactive and enclosed in a cement based material. This is then disposed of in a licensed landfill. |
| Low level radioactive items (for example: smoke detectors) | The materials are disposed of in an appropriately licensed landfill. |
| Old fuel and hydrocarbons | These wastes are mixed with other waste solvents and used as an alternative fuel in cement kilns. |
| Organochlorine pesticides PCB materials and halon fire extinguishers | These materials are collected and shipped to a specialist treatment facility in Australia. Treatment is via either ase Catalysed Dechlorination allowing for recovery/re-use or High Temperature Plasma Arc where temperatures exceed 3 000°C breaking down the waste into atoms and ions totally eliminating the contaminant. Containers are recycled where feasible. |
| Pesticides - non organochlorine | Pesticides are flammable and are treated to remove toxic agents. After treatment they are collected emptied from containers and used as a fuel in industrial burners such as cement kilns. |
| Photographic chemicals | Chemicals are treated to a high standard and then disposed of via a permitted trade waste line. |
| Reactive substances (for example: oxidising agents and peroxides) | Reactive substances are chemically treated to stabilise them and make them inactive. They are then recycled for use in industry or disposed of by a licensed waste service. |
| Toxics (for example: Strychnine and other poisons) | A combination of incineration chemical treatment and fuel blending is used to safely manage the broad list of items within this category. |
Upcoming Detox Your Home events
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