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Hazardous waste disposal

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Find out how you can safely dispose of hazardous waste, such as paint, chemicals, engine oils and gas bottles.

Woman taking a tin of Valvoline oil and other hazardous waste from her car boot at a Council resource recovery centre.

How to dispose of hazardous waste 

Hazardous waste includes items that are corrosive, flammable, explosive, toxic or poisonous. Many household cleaning, gardening and pool chemicals are considered hazardous waste.

Proper disposal of hazardous waste is critical to limiting its impact on the environment.

Disposal options

You can dispose of most hazardous waste in one of four ways:

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    Important things to know

    • Do not dispose of hazardous waste in your Council bins unless it is specified below.
    • Hazardous waste can cause fires in bins and collection trucks. This can create a safety hazard for truck drivers, the community and the environment.

    Hazardous waste that can go in the general waste bin (red lid)

    Cooking oil (small amounts)

    Fibreglass resins

    Floor care products

    Fluorescent light bulbs or tubes

    Hair care products

    Medicines

    Metal polish with solvent

    Paints and mediums (but only small, dried quantities)

    Smoke detectors  (Ionisation and photoelectric types with removable batteries. Remove the batteries and recycle separately)

    Wet wipes

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    Important things to know

    • Paints and hair care products should be solidified by mixing with an absorbent material such as kitty litter, soil or grass clippings before being placed in the red-lid general waste bin.
    • Empty hair product containers and paint tins with minimal paint residue can be placed in your yellow-lid recycling bin.
    • Compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes must be wrapped tightly in newspaper or put in the original box.

    Hazardous waste that can be taken to a resource recovery centre

    The following items are accepted anytime.

    Batteries (household and automotive)

    Empty gas bottles (maximum of 6 bottles of up to 9 kilograms)

    Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes

    Motor and gear oils

    Paints and mediums (maximum of 20 litres per container and 100 litres per customer per visit)

    Free hazardous waste drop-off days 

    You can dispose of your hazardous waste during free hazardous waste drop-off days at Council's resource recovery centres.

    Eligibility criteria for hazardous waste drop-off days

    • All items for household hazardous waste disposal must remain in their original containers and not be mixed.
    • A 20-litre limit per customer per visit applies for each chemical or product, except for paint and engine oil (hydrocarbon oil), where up to 100 litres per customer per visit is accepted. 
    • Due to workplace health and safety requirements, paint and oil containers must not exceed 20 litres per container.

    • Antifreeze
    • Batteries (household and car)
    • Brake fluid
    • Dry cleaning solvents 
    • Electronic waste
    • Fibreglass resins
    • Fire extinguishers
    • Floor care products 
    • Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes
    • Fungicide
    • Gas bottles (must be empty, a maximum of 6 bottles of up to 9 kilograms)
    • Insecticide 
    • Insect sprays
    • Herbicides and weed killers
    • Metal polish with solvent
    • Motor and gear oils 
    • Petrol and marine fuel
    • Paints and mediums (maximum of 20 litres per container and 100 litres per customer)
    • Photographic chemicals
    • Smoke detectors 
    • Swimming pool chemicals

    Hazardous waste that can go into the sewer (via a sink or toilet)

    Aftershaves

    Ammonia-based cleaners

    Bathroom cleaners

    Disinfectants

    Drain cleaners

    Hair care products

    Medicines (small quantities only)

    Perfumes

    Window cleaners

    Windscreen washer solution

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    Important things to know

    • Do not pour chemicals into septics tanks or down stormwater drains.
    • Do not put wet wipes marked as 'flushable' in the toilet or sewer. Place them in your red-lid general waste bin.
    • Mix chemicals with water before disposing via the household sewer.
    • While it is acceptable to dispose of small amounts of medicine via the sewer, Council recommends you take used or unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy.

    Recycling near you

    Find more drop-off locations and pick-up options for disposing of hazardous waste.

    A range of household chemcials including a fuel can, lawn weed killer, oil, spray paint, insect spray, paint and turpentine.

    Disposing of chemicals

    Check the Queensland Government advice for getting rid of chemicals and containers, including drums.

    Woman carrying a cardboard box with oil and mower fuel for a hazardous waste drop-off at Chandler Resource Recovery Centre. Her white hatchback vehicle is in the background.

    Frequently asked questions

    Council’s resource recovery centres feature a Paintback drop-off point, which means you can dispose of paint at your nearest resource recovery centre.

    Paintback takes unwanted paint and packaging and responsibly disposes of it, diverting it from landfill and vital waterways.

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    Note

    A maximum volume of 100 litres of paint and packaging is accepted per visit. For safe handling, containers must be no larger than 20 litres.

    Cooking oil should not be poured down the sink, as this can lead to plumbing and environmental issues. Small amounts of cooking oil can be poured into your garden compost or into a container with a secure lid and placed inyour red-lid general waste bin.

    For larger amounts of cooking oil, consider collecting it in a container and dropping it off at a cooking oil recycler. Use Planet Arks website to find a cooking oil recycler near you.

    You can dispose of chemicals during Council’s free hazardous waste drop-off days, at your nearest resource recovery centre.

    To find out about upcoming free hazardous waste drop-off daya, visit Council’s event calendar or download the Brisbane bin and Recycling app.

    Batteries should not be disposed of in any household bin. The chemicals within batteries can cause significant harm to the environment when sent to landfill. 

    Batteries should be recycled at Council's resource recovery centres or any B-cycle drop-off point. Most Woolworths, Bunnings, Aldi, Officeworks and Battery World stores have a B-cycle drop-off point. 
     
    Visit B-cycle to find your nearest battery recycling drop-off point

    Engine oil can be disposed of at Council’s resource recovery centres. Supercheap Auto also has an engine oil recycling scheme at participating outlets.

    Antifreeze (coolant), brake fluid, fuel and engine oil can be disposed of during one of Council’s free hazardous waste drop-off days.

    It is illegal to dispose of asbestos in your general waste bin or at a Council resource recovery centre. 

    For more information about asbestos, visit the Queensland Government website.

    Do not dispose of gas bottles in your general waste bin. Pressurised gas bottles, even when empty, pose a significant safety hazard to Council workers and the community.

    Empty gas bottles (up to 9kg) can be disposed of at a Council resource recovery centre.

    Gas bottles should be disposed of through a refill or recycling service. Visit Planet Ark’s website to find a gas retailer that will accept your gas bottle brand.

    Fire extinguishers can be disposed of during Council’s free hazardous waste drop-off days, at your nearest resource recovery centre.