Locals asked to avoid disposing paints and oils at Artarmon Recycling Centre.

By ANNA USHER

Residents are being asked to delay the disposal of paints and oils through the Community Recycling Centre at Artarmon following a massive factory fire last month in Sydney’s west.

More than 100 fire fighters battled to control last month’s inferno at the Cleanaway Chemical Waste Recycling Facility in St Marys when huge stocks of gas cylinders and chemicals exploded up to 60 metres in the air.

As a result, Household Chemical CleanOut events and Community Recycling Centres services, run in partnership by councils and the NSW EPA, have been temporarily postponed.

The Waltham St, Artarmon facility is no longer accepting paint, oils, light globes, gas cylinders, household batteries, embedded batteries and aerosols.

“Due to the industrial fire at Cleanaway Chemical Waste Recycling Facility in St Marys, the CRC will not be accepting paint, oils, light globes, gas cylinders, household batteries, embedded batteries and aerosols at this time,” a spokesperson said.

“Please note that all other items, including e-waste, x-rays, textiles, ink cartridges and car batteries are still accepted.”

Accepted Items

• ⚠️ TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED – Water and oil-based paint. Maximum limit of 20 litres of paint in containers no larger than 20 litres each (eg. 2 x 10-litre cans OR 1 x 20-litre can OR 5 x 4-litre cans) per customer per drop-off per day.
• ⚠️ TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED – Motor oils and others (including cooking oil). Maximum limit of 20 litres of oil in containers no larger than 20 litres each (eg. 2 x 10-litre cans OR 1 x 20-litre can OR 5 x 4-litre cans) per customer per drop-off per day.
• ⚠️ TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED – Gas bottles, aerosols, and fire extinguishers.
• ⚠️ TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED – Fluorescent, halogen, LED globes and tubes.
• ⚠️ TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED – Household and lead acid batteries (eg. car and motorbike batteries)
• Smoke detectors/ alarms.
• Printer cartridges. Only these brands: Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Lexmark, Roland, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba.
• X-ray films (removed from envelope)
• Wearable textiles, including good quality clothing, shoes, manchester, and accessories such as handbags, belts, scarves and hats (up to 20kg per drop off).

Not Accepted Items

• Household chemicals and cleaners, acids and alkalis, motor fuels, garden and hobby chemicals, poisons and solvents (check the Environment Protection Authority’s Chemical CleanOut events)
• White goods (eg. fridge, washing machine, cloth dryer, air conditioner, water filter etc)
• Metal, pool pump including robotic pool cleaner/vacuum/accessories and building/renovation materials (eg. bricks, tiles, gyprock etc)
• Soft plastic, plastic packaging and hard plastic (eg. buckets, containers, toys etc)
• Household furniture (eg. sofa, cabinet, table, glass, mirror etc)
• Cardboard, paper, polystyrene, cans/bottles
• General household rubbish and car parts (eg. seat, tyre etc)