Hazardous waste disposal
Hazardous waste can cause harm to people and the environment, even in small quantities. It can be risky to store and dispose of hazardous waste because it can have dangerous properties like toxicity, flammability, corrosiveness and eco-toxicity. You need to make sure that any hazardous waste on your site is managed in an appropriate way.
If you do not handle and dispose of hazardous wastes correctly, you could have your worksite closed, be ordered to clean up (at your own cost) risk your site becoming a contaminated site and/or end up being fined or prosecuted.
Hazardous waste includes (but is not limited to):
(click on the words in blue for links to further information)
- Asbestos Useful links:
- WorksafeNZ
- Safety requirements for asbestos removal
- Community and Public Health
- Environment Canterbury Advice
- Contaminated soil
- Treated timber
- Household hazardous wastes (paint, garden chemicals, waste oil, LPG bottles, etc.)
- Hazardous liquid wastes (waste oils from construction, lubes, sewage, etc.)
- Leaded paint contaminated materials
- Biological waste/medical waste (sharps, dialysis waste, sewage etc.)
- Heat pump units (contain refrigerant)
- Smoke alarms
- Fluorescent bulbs (contain mercury)
If you have hazardous waste on your site that you need to dispose of, you’ll need to talk to a qualified hazardous waste disposal contractor. A list of code of compliance-certified contractors can be found here.
Useful links:
Waste and hazardous substance management
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