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.
Council’s 4 resource recovery centres have specialist recycling facilities to help you dispose of items that can’t go in the red, yellow or green bins at home. Some hazardous waste is accepted for free all year round. When you arrive, follow the yellow lines to the recycling facility.
Council also hosts 4 free hazardous waste drop-off days throughout the year for items that are more difficult to dispose of.
Hazardous waste that can be taken to a resource recovery centre
The following items are accepted anytime and can be dropped off for free every day of the year.
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
Chemical waste that can go in the sewer via a sink or toilet
Only the below chemicals meet general conditions, concentration limits and volume limits acceptable to discharge to the sewer.
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 every day of the year.
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 in your red 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 red, yellow or green bin. The chemicals within batteries can cause significant harm to the environment when sent to landfill.
Batteries can be recycled at Council's resource recovery centres all year round, or any B-cycle drop-off point for processing by specialist recyclers. You can also visit the Recycle Mate website to find a location near you.
Dead batteries can be placed directly in an e-waste bin, however damaged batteries (cracked, smashed, swollen or leaking) require special handling due to fire and explosion risks.
Damaged batteries
- Wear gloves and protective clothing to avoid contact with corrosive or toxic battery acid and vapours.
- Tape the terminals (ends) using clear sticky tape or electrical tape.
- Place leaking batteries in a sealed plastic bag, or a non-metallic container (e.g. glass jar without an airtight lid).
- Place swollen or damaged lithium batteries (commonly found in mobile phones) in a fireproof container or surround them with a non-conductive material such as sand. Do not remove lithium batteries from the device.
- Do not stack or pile damaged batteries together.
- Transport the contained battery to a Council resource recovery centre.
- Never store damaged batteries indoors. E-waste bins should be kept in well-ventilated outdoor areas away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and flammable materials.
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 red 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 red 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.
