b"words/pictures: Tamsin Vuetilovoni, paint disposalAuckland Regional Council allwashedup You've just finished painting your bedroom with waterborne paint. Although you'd like to sit back and admire your handiwork, the paintbrush and roller need to be rinsed off. Where do you do this? (a) down an outside drain/stormwater drain (b) at an inside sink (c) ontolawn the If you chose (a), you could be harming the fish, insects and plant life that live in our urban waterways. There are, for example, around1,300 urban streams running through Auckland's backyards, let alone the rest of Australasia. All stormwater drains flow directly into these,into our lakes,or directly into the seacarrying with themany pollutants, which can drastically alter these environments. The best place to rinse your brushes is either at an inside sink, all of which feed to the sewerage treatment plant, or onto the lawn. TheRegional Council Water Pollution Response Team's adviceDIY'ers Aucklandto when carrying out activities such as painting, sanding, plastering, concreting, and even waterblasting is to: Wash outas concrete mixers, spades, or any concreting equipment, suchwheelbarrows, onto the lawn, away from protected trees, making sure washings safely soak in and don't flow to an outside drain. Wash out paintbrushes used in solventborne paints in a container with thinners. Allow the paint to separate from the thinners, let it harden and dispose of it in the domestic rubbish. If you need to dispose of the thinners, take it to the Hazmobile. Visit www. hazmobile.co.nz for more information. Let excess plastering waste dry and dispose of it in the rubbish bin. Wash plastering equipment on the lawn. Clean up paint chips and dust from sanding and dispose of them in a rubbish bin. Whenwaterblastingroofs,blockoffordisconnectdownpipes.Directthe washwater to a lawn or garden, or collect it and divert it to an inside drain. If you're For more information, phone 09 366 2000 usingchemicals,always try to direct your washwater to the sewer system viaanand ask toto a Pollution Response speak inside drain.Officer or visit www.arc.govt.nz. When waterblasting driveways, prevent any water entering the stormwater systemTo report water pollution, ring the Auckland Regional Council 24-hour water by covering or sandbagging around any driveway drains and directing the washwaterpollution hotline on 09 377 3107. Contact onto the lawn.your local council in other areas. Ensure driveways are swept clean rather than washed down - every little bit helps.To find out more about minimising the effects ofthe environment, decorating on visit www.resene.eo.nz/paintwise.htm. habitat55"