Quickfind
Hazardous chemicals sitting in a workshop

Hazardous Waste

Most people use hazardous chemicals everyday without thinking about it.  Hazardous waste is something that is a danger or risk and is unwanted and discarded material by it's owner.  Products that have the following qualities are hazardous - corrosive, flammable or combustible, explosive or reactive, poisonious

Examples from in the yard

  • Solvents, strippers, thinners  |  Wood treatment or preservatives  |  Glue  |  Garden and pest chemicals (herbicides, fertilisers, insecticides, fungicides, pesticides, weedkillers)  |  Petrol and oil  |  Vehicle batteries   |  Pool chemicals

 

Examples from in the house

  • Disinfectant or bleach  |  Medicines  |  Nail polish and nail polish remover  |  Shoe polish  |  Kitchen and oven cleaners

 

See Also Chemicals  |  Agrichemicals  |  Craft Glue

 

Reduce

There are alternatives to using hazardous products.  Look for products labelled environmentally friendly i.e. eco-cleaners, enviro-friendly garden sprays.

If you cannot find an alternative non-hazardous product

  • buy only what you need (check the product recommendations)
  • choose refills rather than new containers

 

 

 

Reuse

Make the hazardous product a resource by:

  • Share leftovers with neighbours, friends or family (this saves money and reduces the waste i.e. does your neighbour need some weed killer)
  • Donate to a community group for a local project

Recycle

Check with the products manufacturer if they have a take-back scheme.

 

Disposal

If you have less than 20 litres of hazardous product you can dispose of it at your local transfer station's hazardous waste shed. 

How do I dispose of it?
  • Ensure that the hazardous product is appropriately labelled
  • And is in a leak proof container
  • Hand over to the attendent who will place it in the hazardous waste shed.

 

Where do I dispose of it?

 

If you have more than 20 litres of hazardous product, contact a professional chemical collector for disposal instructions.