Household hazardous waste disposal: Amnesty Days

Household hazardous waste can only be dropped at the Whangārei Re:Sort Centre (201 Kioreroa Road) from 8am – 12pm on scheduled amnesty days.

Household hazardous waste includes small quantities of substances such as garden chemicals/sprays/powders, cleaning products and pool chemicals.

This service is not intended to subsidise the disposal of chemicals for businesses/commercial premises, including farms and orchards. Businesses can contact NRC to find out about options for the disposal or treatment of their hazardous wastes. Any businesses (including farms and orchards) that bring their hazardous waste to the amnesty days will be on-charged for the disposal costs.

Dates for 2024/2025

  • 16 July 2024
  • 17 September 2024
  • 19 November 2024
  • 21 January 2025
  • 18 March 2025
  • 20 May 2025

The amnesty days will have trained, experienced personnel on-site to identify substances, sort them, and store them safely for disposal.

Download the 2024-2025 Amnesty Days flyer with dates and information (PDF 93 KB)

Please do not bring hazardous materials or chemicals to any Northland Regional Council offices or drop them at the Re:Sort Centre on non-amnesty days.

What can I get rid of?

We’ll accept small to medium quantities (individual containers up to a total of 20kg or 20 litres) of the following:

  • Garden chemicals, sprays and powders
  • Pool chemicals
  • Corrosive and flammable household products
  • Legacy agrichemicals, such as dieldrin, lindane, DDT, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D

Please see farm plastic wastes for disposal options for empty agrichemical containers.

Items we can't accept

  • Ammunition and explosives*
  • Asbestos
  • Camping gas canisters
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Fireworks
  • Gas cylinders
  • Medical waste
  • Non-residential waste
  • White goods / appliances
  • Waste oil**
  • Paint**
  • Batteries**

* For disposal of ammunition, flares and fireworks, please contact the NZ Police on 105.

** For the Whangārei district, waste oil, household batteries and paint can be taken to the Re:Sort Centre at Kioreroa Road on non-amnesty days. For the Far North and Kaipara districts, please contact your local district council for disposal options. Car batteries can be taken to a local scrap metal dealer.

See more information about your district council's recycling and rubbish disposal options

Tips for transporting hazardous substances

  • Make sure all containers are securely packaged so they can't leak or give off fumes
  • Keep flammable and reactive materials separate from each other and other chemicals
  • Line the vehicle with plastic sheeting to contain any spillages
  • Put hazardous wastes in the boot or tray of your vehicle, or use a trailer - do not carry hazardous wastes in the cab with you
  • Keep the load dry and avoid wet weather conditions.

Safety checklist

  • Do not put hazardous substances into food or drink containers.
  • Check the labels on containers and follow any handling instructions. Use protective clothing and equipment such as a mask or gloves.
  • Never eat, drink or smoke when handling chemicals.
  • Keep hazardous substances away from children, animals, food (including animal feed) seeds, fertiliser or flammable material such as petrol or oil.
  • Never mix different hazardous substances, such as petrol and oil, or combine garden chemicals into a single container. This is dangerous and can put you and others at risk.
  • Check if any containers are damaged or leaking. Put leaking containers inside another secure container such as a fishbin (cheaper than trying to clean your car after a spill!) and put a label on the outside describing the contents.
  • For hazardous substances that you wish to store, place them in a dry, well-ventilated and securely locked shed or cupboard and keep them off the ground.
  • Store chemicals in labelled containers (ideally their original container) with lids tightly closed. Most product labels are available for downloading / printing on the internet.

If you have substances that can’t be identified, contact the council before disposing of the substances.

Further information

Recycling and rubbish collection services are provided by your district council.

For more information on safety around hazardous substances, particularly for storing those you choose to keep, refer to the Environmental Protection Authority website and the WorkSafe NZ website.

The New Zealand Code of Practice for the Management of Agrichemicals (NZS8409) is an essential document for anyone that uses or stores agrichemicals. Copies can be purchased from:
www.standards.co.nz

If you want to know more, contact us on P: 0800 002 004 or E: [email protected]

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