Hazardous Waste

Find out how to safely dispose of hazardous waste.

About hazardous waste

Hazardous waste is anything that could be dangerous for people or the environment. You shouldn't put it into your normal household rubbish.

How to get rid of hazardous waste

Here are the different kinds of hazardous waste and how you can get rid of them.

  • Don't pour oil down your sink or stormwater drain.
  • Household quantities (up to 20kgs) of left-over motor oil and petrol containers can be taken to the Silverstream landfill transfer station. There's a drop-off point for these containers as you enter the transfer station.

  • Don't pour paints and solvents down your sink or stormwater drain.
  • Household quantities (up to 20kgs) of left-over paint and solvent containers can also be taken to the Silverstream landfill transfer station for final disposal. There's a drop off point for these containers as you enter the transfer station.
  • Take your left-over paint to Resene or Dulux. They'll accept their own products for free, and charge a small fee for paints and solvents from other shops.

Paintwise programme

Paint Take-Back Service

  • Take these items to your local pharmacy for safe management and disposal.
  • Sharps and needles include EpiPen auto injectors.

Please take household quantities (up to 20kgs) of pesticides, herbicides, household cleaning agents, and pool chemicals to the Silverstream landfill transfer station. There is a drop-off point for these waste items as you enter the transfer station.

LPG bottles can be dangerous if not handled correctly and degassed. Take your gas bottles to the following places for safe disposal for a small charge:

  • Please take old gas bottles to Silverstream landfill transfer station. There's a drop off point for these as you enter the transfer station.

  • Single use batteries (eg. button and alkaline batteries) can be put into your normal household waste.
  • Any lithium-ion (e.g. rechargeable) batteries must not go into your red-lid rubbish bin. Please take these to a battery recycler like IT Recycla in Gracefield. Alternatively, you can take them to the Silverstream landfill transfer station. There's a dedicated drop off point for batteries as you enter the transfer station.
  • If you can, please take your household batteries to ITRecycla in Seaview or Bunnings Warehouse Petone. This is much better than sending them to landfill!

  • Some retailers will take your fluorescent light bulbs. Talk to your local shop.
  • Businesses can recycle bulbs through Interwaste.

Disposing of Hazardous Waste at landfill

You need Council approval to dispose of all special waste. Acceptance of special waste is subject to conditions.

Please use the Special Waste Declaration form and if applicable, our Application for disposal of special/hazardous waste form.

Fees will apply for disposing of hazardous waste to landfill.

For more information

To find out more information use the What goes in the bins?  search on the Too Good to Waste website.