Chemical wastes
Please note that this section of the manual may contain out-of-date information. It has been retained to provide general information until a revised version is available. For further up-to-date information on this topic please contact the EPA.
The following information has been written to help authorised officers advise people on how to dispose of unwanted chemicals or chemical wastes in local waste facilities.
If the wastes are to be disposed of in the Metropolitan Waste Disposal Region (MWDR), officers should contact the Waste Regulation Section (WRS) of the EPA on (02) 9325 5676 for advice, as EPA consent for disposal may be required.
The following is a general comment that applies to all the categories referred to below.
Disposal of chemical wastes in sewers, gutters, rivers, lakes, bushland and countryside is not permitted, because the wastes are hazardous to living organisms. Also, some chemicals can accumulate in the food chain, ultimately affecting humans.
These wastes usually occur in small quantities and include paints, solvents, cleaners, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and oils. Please check the Community Recycling Centres page.
Scheduled chemical wastes listed in the Chemical Control Order in Relation to Scheduled Chemical Wastes must be managed in accordance with the requirements prescribed in the order. In most instances there are no environmentally acceptable means for disposal of scheduled chemical wastes in New South Wales. These wastes must be kept until a suitable method of disposal becomes available.
Some licensed contractors may be prepared to take scheduled wastes for storage pending the development of disposal facilities.
To avoid environmental contamination and hazards to human health it is important that chemical wastes are disposed of correctly. Follow the guidelines given here, but if you are still unsure of what information to give, seek expert advice.
For more information contact your nearest office of the EPA. Branches are listed in the front of this manual.
The EPA has prepared this document for the manual in good faith, exercising all due care and attention. No representation or warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of this document in respect of any user's circumstances. Users of this document should carry out their own investigations and where necessary seek appropriate expert advice in relation to their situations. This document should be read in conjunction with other documents in this manual, and any other legislation and/or policies within which authorised officers operate; for example, Local Government officers should also refer to such legislation as the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979, the Local Government Act 1993 and Occupational Health & Safety legislation, as well as specific Occupational Health & Safety policies developed by Local Government for its employees.