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Hazardous waste

• General information
• Disposal

General information

Poison

Hazardous waste is generally defined as "any waste that causes a threat to human or environmental health". It include things like solvents, oils, batteries, cleaners, bleach and disinfectants.

The best way to manage hazardous waste is to eliminate or reduce its use whenever possible.

Tips for reducing hazardous waste include:

• looking at how you use materials to see if greater efficiency can reduce what is wasted
• purchasing unbleached paper products (eg paper bags, stationery, napkins, tea-bags)
• using rechargeable batteries (this will also save money)
• printing with mineral oil-free inks
• buying more environmentally benign products (eg, ones with the Environmental Choice label)
• buying more environmentally benign cleaners or using traditional types such as baking soda and vinegar
• having material collected for recycling, eg solvents, photo developing chemicals and cellphone batteries. Contact us for details.

Disposal

HazMobile - a mobile household hazardous waste drop-off service

Auckland City Council offers HazMobile collections four times a year which it carries out in conjunction with the Auckland Regional Council.

Household hazardous items can be dropped off at no charge, although there is a limit of 20 kg or 20 litres per household. The following items can be dropped off at the Hazmobile:

• household chemicals (cleaners, disinfectants, polishes, solvents and glues)
• garden chemicals (fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides)
• automotive (motor vehicle) products (waste oil, petrol, diesel and brake fluid)
• fluorescent tubes and energy saving light bulbs
• 9kg LPG cylinders only (this does not include old CNG cylinders)
• all types of batteries
• mobile phones

Read more about, and how to safely dispose of:

• Batteries
• Electronic equipment
• Energy efficient lightbulbs and fluorescent tubes
• Garden chemicals
• Household chemicals
• Motor vehicle products
• Paint

Visit the HazMobile website for collection dates or to view location maps of the drop-off locations. You are welcome to drop your household hazardous items at any of these locations.

Updated April 2008