Disposal of houshehold paint and other hazardous liquid waste

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is advising residents that its household waste recycling centres at Sully and Llandow are not currently accepting paint and other hazardous liquid waste.

Currently,there are specialist containers for used engine and cooking oil, domestic and automobile batteries, tvs and fridges, fluorescent tubes, LPG bottles and gypsum materials at both Hayes Road (Sully) and Llandow, and for cement-bound asbestos sheeting material at the latter, but the sites do not have containers suitable for old paint or solvents.

Operational manager (waste management and cleansing) Clifford Parish said: "Unfortunately, the current position is that tins of paint cannot be accepted at these sites but we are in discussions with our contractors about providing appropriate containers."

Paint and other hazardous household wastes, which are, of course, damaging to the environment, should never be placed in black bin bags or tipped down drains. Any left-over emulsion paint should be mixed with sand and left with the lid off to solidify. It can then be disposed of in the normal black bin bag. However, no other paint can be disposed of in this manner although completely empty tins may be put in the black bags.

Although the council does not provide a household hazardous waste collection service, it can make arrangements for collections by a private contractor at a commercial charge to householders. Specialist waste contractors who may be able to provide a chargeable collection service may also be found in Yellow Pages.

Householders are asked to remember that avoiding waste creation is the most environmentally friendly and best way to manage waste; therefore, when carrying out decorating work, try to buy only enough of the product for the DIY job required.

* Household waste defined as hazardous by the Hazardous Waste (England Wales) Regulations, 2005, includes paint, weed killers, pesticides, household cleaners and chemicals, creosote, fuel and other flammable liquids, motor oils, motor fluids, fluorescent tubes and long-life bulbs.