Bycatch refers to the unintended collection of non-Paintback items and materials in our stillages. These can include items such as automotive oils and lubricants, cleaning products, pesticides, industrial paints, marine and automotive paints, and other hazardous materials. These items not only contaminate the collected paints but also pose serious Health and Safety (WHS) and environmental risks.
Examples of Bycatch: Click each image for more information.
Organic peroxide found in a Paintback stillage, this is a highly flammable and reactive chemical that should not be placed into Paintback stillages.
Aerosols and unidentifiable containers collected in Paintback stillages. These items are not accepted by Paintback as they may contain hazardous material.
Unlabelled & Unidentifiable containers found in Paintback stillages.
Cardboard, Plastic & Other Packaging Materials
Bycatch can span across three distinct categories, each presenting unique challenges and implications:
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Workplace Health and Safety Risks
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Environmental Risks
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Operational Inefficiencies
Operational Inefficiencies:
The responsible treatment and disposal of bycatches that are placed into the Paintback stillages adds significant cost to the recovery of paint materials from your site. As Paintback does not receive any funding for these items this can impact how Paintback completes collection and support our drop off point network.
Workplace Health and Safety Risks:
Improperly disposed of hazardous materials can pose significant risks to the health and safety of employees, contractors, and customers.
Incorrectly stored hazardous materials may leak leading to an exposure hazard to your staff, contractors, or customers.
Environmental Risks:
Bycatch often includes hazardous materials that require specialized handling and disposal to prevent environmental damage.
Paintback stillages are not designed for storing materials other than paint, it is important that they are stored in appropriate containers that comply with Dangerous Goods requirements.
Mixing of incompatible wastes may cause reactions between hazardous materials that could lead to serious incidents like fire or explosion.
What Paintback Accepts
Our mission is to ensure that these specific types of paint are recycled or disposed of responsibly.
For more information on what is and isn’t eligible for collection, please click here: Accepted Products
Key examples of this are:
Water Based Paints
- Interior and exterior wall paints
- Ceiling paints
- Fence and paving paints
- Floor paints
Oil Based Paints
- Gloss and semi-gloss paints
- Woodcare products like stains, shellacs and varnishes
- Deck coatings
Primers and Undercoats
- Sealers and primers
- Specialised undercoats
- Varnishes & Urethanes (single components)
Paint Packaging
- Full, empty or partially full paint containers (excluding aerosol spray cans)
We need your help to ensure the safety of your staff and the public by ensuring that only eligible paint is stored in Paintback stillages. By being vigilant and proactive, we can significantly reduce the occurrence of bycatch which will lead to greater safety and environmental outcomes for Paintback on your site. Customers should be directed to dispose of any chemicals or non-Paintback materials at an appropriate disposal location.
Proactive Measures That You Can Take:
Conduct routine checks of the stillages to ensure only eligible items are present.
Look for labels or packaging that indicate the material is not accepted by Paintback.
Remove the bycatch and place in appropriate waste stillages onsite.
Familiarize yourself with what can and cannot be disposed of through Paintback.
Use the provided guidelines to help educate staff and customers.
Provide information on proper disposal methods for non-Paintback materials.
Use clear signage to direct customers on what materials are accepted.
Use as a reminder for customers on drop off location via the Paintback website.
Recycling Near You - Provides details on recycling and disposal options for various materials, including chemicals. Managed by Planet Ark.
Keep Australia Beautiful - Focuses on promoting sustainable practices and responsible waste management.
Resource Recovery Australia - Offers insights and resources on effective resource recovery and recycling practices.
Detox Your Home - For Victoria - You can drop off unwanted household chemicals at our free Detox Your Home events, which are licensed to accept toxic chemicals and staffed by trained specialist chemists.
Community Recycling Centres (nsw.gov.au) - Offers convenient drop-off locations across New South Wales for a variety of recyclable and hazardous materials, ensuring safe and responsible disposal.
Western Australia - HHW Program » WasteNet - Provides information on the Household Hazardous Waste Program, helping residents safely dispose of hazardous materials at designated collection points.
South Australia - Hazardous Waste Depot (greenindustries.sa.gov.au) - Offers services for the safe disposal of hazardous waste, supported by Green Industries SA, to promote environmentally responsible waste management practices.
Without the help of organisations like your Paintback would not exist and we thank you for all the assistance you and your teams provide in making Paintback possible. We hope that by following some of the tips above, you can help us further improve Paintback and achieve our sustainability goals together.