Hazardous Waste Disposal Guide: Keep Dangerous Rubbish out of Our Landfills

07/08/2022 by Bookabin

Before you toss old rubbish into your bin, you need to consider what it is and where it’s going. Appropriate hazardous waste disposal is critical to the future of our country and is unfortunately massively misunderstood or entirely ignored.

Not everything can be put on the side of the road for the garbo to collect. Some types of rubbish require special waste management techniques, or you risk additional skip bin hire costs rental or council fines. Our Bookabin waste experts have made the following guide to help you manage your rubbish safely and better.

Batteries and Battery Disposal

Haphazardly tossed out batteries have been known to cause chemical fires in Aussie skip bins across the country. This is because batteries contain toxic and corrosive chemicals like lead and cadmium. Automotive and Lithium-ion batteries found in electronics must be disposed of differently to prevent the battery’s toxins from entering soil and groundwater supplies.

Some batteries contain sulphur, affecting vital human and animal organs like the heart and kidney, so we highly advocate recycling. Some modern battery versions may be made of zinc and magnesium. Check with your local state or council guidelines, as different states and cities have varying laws. Most cities have private battery collection services to dispose of this hazardous waste safely.

Paint Yourself Green

Whether it’s the kid’s art projects or your house renovations, we’ve all experienced the toxic odour of paint fumes. It’s easy to understand why this hazardous waste can’t be disposed of normally. Paint placed into landfills is a massive issue for Australia. Under no circumstance can paint products be placed into a skip bin from a Bookabin supplier.

That also includes partially used paint pots. The chemicals used to manufacture paint are highly toxic to waterways and soil. Paint is never accepted in rubbish wheelie bins for regular council rubbish collection. You can find help with paint waste disposal at any local council.

Electronic Waste

Electronic waste has rapidly become a major environmental issue globally and in Australia. E-Waste is particularly dangerous due to toxic heavy metals and chemicals that naturally leach from the metals into the ground and groundwater. Computers typically contain beryllium oxide, a substance that leads to significant respiratory damage. Please seek your local certified e-waste collection agency to dispose of this hazardous waste.

Mercury is Dangerous

Mercury and all its compounds are toxic, and exposure to excessive levels can permanently damage or fatally injure the brain and kidneys. Mercury is commonly found in old medical thermometers, decorative wall hangers, fluorescent lights and computer monitors. Although only trace amounts are found in these items, mercury should never be placed into a skip bin or a regular council rubbish collection. Instead, check with your local council for the correct disposal.

Petrol and Oil-Based Products

Pouring these chemicals down a drain is a recipe for an environmental and health disaster. Placing these hazardous chemicals in a skip bin puts many other people at risk. Skip bin truck drivers and waste management workers could be exposed to life-threatening situations. These scenarios can easily be avoided simply by checking with your council for their disposal guidelines. 

Think Twice Before Tossing out Your Rubbish

As we all make a concerted effort to go green, we need to think twice before tossing out our rubbish. Correct hazardous waste disposal is the best line of defence we have against environmental and health disasters caused by our trash. For safe and secure waste disposal, hire a skip bin with Bookabin.