Council is reminding residents and businesses across the Snowy Monaro to do their part to protect our region’s waterways. Always dispose of your chemicals the right way at an authorised drop-off location.
It’s well known that common household products like motor oils, paints, lubricants, thinners, fuels and pesticides don’t belong in our water or in our environment.
It is less well known that when chemicals like these are dumped down household drains, they make it through the wastewater treatment process and are released into the Snowy Monaro’s rivers and creeks.
Chemicals damage the microorganisms used to break down wastewater at treatment plants. This causes operational issues and increases treatment costs. Ratepayers ultimately pay these costs through their water and sewer bills, so it is in everyone’s interest to dispose of chemicals responsibly.
The pristine alpine waterways of the Snowy Monaro are a central part of our region’s identity, and play a vital role on our farms, in our towns and villages, and especially in our world-renowned natural environment.
It’s important that we continue to do the right thing, and keep chemicals out of drains to protect our region’s waterways, drinking water, and agricultural water supply.
Disposal of household quantities of paint and oils is free and easy year-round at Council’s landfills in Cooma and Jindabyne. Other chemicals can be disposed of for free in household quantities at the upcoming Household Chemical CleanOut at Bombala Landfill on Friday 27 October.
Visit https://qrco.de/chem2023smrc
