Why have special collections for Household Hazardous Waste?

Hazardous waste can be dangerous at every stage of its 'life'. Hazardous materials stored at home can react with one another and cause a fire or toxic fumes. Children can easily poison themselves. A container may leak and contaminate the soil or groundwater. If hazardous waste is disposed of with the rest of the household rubbish or put out with the inorganic rubbish collection, the people who pick up the rubbish can be injured, sometimes severely. And finally, hazardous waste that ends up in the landfill can pollute our environment.

What kind of waste can I take to the HazMobile?

The HazMobile accepts most hazardous materials that can be found in a household, such as: 
Paints, solvents and paint strippers 
Wood preservatives 
Glues and resins 
All types of garden chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers 
Petrol, oil and diesel 
Car care products 
All types of cleaners, including toilet and drain cleaners, oven cleaners, bleaches and disinfectants 
Pool chemicals 
Furniture and shoe polish 
All types of batteries, from car and boat batteries to household batteries and rechargeable batteries 
Gas cylinders 


What happens to the waste collected by the Hazmobile?

The majority of the waste we collect is in fact recycled, or sometimes re-used.
Approximately 75% of the waste paint collected is recycled, the final product being used for anti-graffiti work. The remainder, usually toxic or otherwise unusable paint, is treated before disposal to landfill. 
100% of the waste oil and petrol is used as fuel to fire a large cement kiln in New Zealand. 
Wet cell batteries (lead-acid) are recycled in New Zealand, while rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium and mercury-containing batteries are recycled overseas. 
Small amounts of household chemicals such as cleaners, shoe polish, car care product and similar are re-used through the Auckland City Mission if in good condition. The remainder is treated and disposed of to landfill. 

Is there anything I need to know about transporting my household hazardous waste safely?

All containers should be in good condition - this means they should not have holes or be brittle, and the lid must be fitted tightly. They must be transported upright and secured so that they cannot fall over or leak liquid or gas. If you do have a leaking container, put it into a bucket with a lid, and please remember to do this outside so that any fumes can disperse easily. Heavy-duty plastic bags may be acceptable for solid wastes. Please label the container clearly to help the person receiving the waste.
You can help us - and yourself - by putting your household hazardous waste upright into cardboard boxes. This way, you protect your car from leaks, and when you arrive at the HazMobile all we need to do is lift out the box and you can be on your way!
But if you have to have hazardous materials at home, make sure they are always stored safely and securely:
Keep hazardous materials dry and away from heat or flames. 
Always keep things in their original container so that you know what it is. 
If the container is leaking and you have to use another, label it correctly. 
Keep lids tightly closed. 
Always keep hazardous materials out of the reach of children, for example in a locked cupboard.