Many materials and chemicals that are routinely used in our homes, farms and workplaces may be hazardous or contain hazardous chemicals.
When these products are no longer needed you must dispose of them safely so the environment is not contaminated and there is no risk to people's health.
Some waste materials are not suitable for disposal at Resource Recovery Centres and are termed 'special waste'. This waste is accepted on application at the York Valley Landfill, providing certain criteria are met.
For more information please contact the Landfill Business Unit via Nelson City Council on 03 546 0200 or email [email protected].
Asbestos is a toxic building material which requires specialised disposal. It is not suitable for disposal at Resource Recovery Centres and is termed 'special waste'.
Asbestos can be present in construction and cladding materials, including old vinyl or floor tiles, lagging/insulation, decorative ceilings, roofing and cement pipes.
The inhalation of asbestos fibres or dust can be damaging to your health. Asbestos should only be handled in accordance with recommended guidelines.
We strongly recommend contracting licenced asbestos handlers to advise you on inspection and removal of any asbestos material or material that you think may contain asbestos.
Visit the New Zealand Ministry of Health website for more information about asbestos.
Asbestos is not suitable for disposal at Resource Recovery Centres and is termed 'special waste'.
Asbestos is accepted at the York Valley Landfill (operated by the Nelson Tasman Regional Landfill Business Unit on behalf of Nelson City and Tasman District Councils), providing certain criteria is met. The general public cannot access York Valley Landfill, however there are a number of commercial operators who provide this service.
Visit Worksafe New Zealand’s website for information about:
Commercial premises are responsible for the correct disposal of hazardous wastes that they produce.
There are a number of companies that specialise in the disposal of commercial hazardous wastes. Such companies are listed in the Yellow Pages and similar directories.
Please contact the local Police if you have any unwanted explosives.
Most people use various chemicals and substances in and around their households.
Common examples are old garden sprays, household cleaners, paint, glues, batteries and chemicals used in hobbies (e.g. pottery, lead-lighting). Putting out hazardous chemicals with general household rubbish can do a lot of damage. If the packaging is old and deteriorating the contents can present a hazard to kerbside waste collection staff.
Once placed in a landfill, the wastes can leach through soils, contaminating groundwater and even affect the food chain.
For the safe disposal of household hazardous wastes, Tasman District Council provides a drop-off service in conjunction with Nelson City Council.
Tasman District Council remains legally responsible for the waste it accepts and it is therefore necessary to get authorisation for disposal prior to using the service to ensure everything is done safely.
There is a nominal fee to be paid at the Nelson City Council Transfer Station for use of the service.
It is your responsibility to obtain the required documentation and transport the household hazardous wastes to the Nelson City Council Refuse Transfer Station in Vivian Place (off Pascoe Street) Tahunanui for disposal.
Download and complete the form below to request approval to use the service for your waste. Details of where to send it are on the form.
Make sure the household hazardous wastes are safely wrapped and contained, preferably in their original containers and include all labelling and other information. The packaged wastes should not be able to leak or mix with other packaged waste. Do not combine different hazardous wastes into the same container.
Essentially all household chemicals are accepted.
If you have an unknown substance and are not sure what it is, please provide any information you can, such as quantity, age, type of packaging, what it was used for (e.g. controlling insect pests on cabbages or fungus growth on leaves) etc. This will assist staff to identify the substance.
Some hazardous waste will not be accepted through this process and need to be handled by other agencies. The following items will NOT be accepted:
Any queries about household hazardous wastes and their disposal should be directed to Council's stormwater and waste mangement team leader.
Contact the Team Leader - stormwater and waste management
Fires caused by electronic waste are a growing problem. To reduce the risk we’ve introduced new safe drop-off points for undamaged used batteries from electronic devices at all our Service Centres and Resource Recovery Centres across the District.
Lithium-ion (LI) batteries, like those found in personal electronic devices such as smartphones, contain hazardous materials and have caused fires in rubbish and recycling trucks and landfills.
In a 12 month period more than 20 fires caused by batteries were recorded at the York Valley landfill.
Batteries should never be placed in recycling bins, and there’s growing evidence that they should also be kept out of rubbish bins. Batteries may be damaged by being dropped into bins, or by the crushing action of the refuse hoppers, and this damage increases the fire risk.
Lithium-ion batteries come in a range of sizes from single-use button or coin batteries through to secondary rechargeable cells for a range of devices, including mobile phones, smartwatches and e-cigarettes. These batteries are also used extensively for higher-powered portable applications like power tools, remote-controlled vehicles, e-bikes and scooters, and even children’s toys.
Our free drop-off system will receive all unwanted undamaged batteries that have been removed from devices and safely dispose of them.
Read more about our free battery drop off locations and the types of batteries accepted here.
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