Hazardous waste disposal
Find out how you can safely dispose of hazardous waste, such as paint, chemicals, engine oils and gas bottles.
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:
- place it in your red-lid general waste bin
- drop it off at a Council resource recovery centre
- via your household sewer (pouring down a sink or toilet)
- drop it off at a dedicated hazardous waste disposer.
Hazardous waste that can be taken to a resource recovery centre
The following items are accepted anytime.
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)
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.
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 days, 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.
