Asbestos Disposal Guide
Getting rid of asbestos legally isn't the same everywhere. Each Australian state and territory has its own regulator, its own waste-tracking rules, and its own list of facilities that will take it, and New Zealand runs on a different system again. This guide covers the rules for each jurisdiction. Pick yours below.
The basics, wherever you are
A few rules hold true across Australia and New Zealand:
- Asbestos waste can only go to a landfill or facility licensed to accept it. It never goes in your kerbside or general waste bin.
- You can't reuse, recycle, sell, give away, or dump asbestos.
- Keep it wet and intact, double-wrap it in heavy-duty 200-micron plastic, seal it, and label it as asbestos.
- Phone the receiving facility before you go. Acceptance, booking, quantity caps, and fees vary site to site.
- Friable asbestos, and more than 10 square metres of non-friable, must be handled by a licensed removalist (the ACT requires one for all asbestos work).
Australia
New South Wales
NSWIn New South Wales the EPA regulates how asbestos waste is transported, tracked and disposed of, and it runs an online system for tracking larger loads.
Read the NSW guide →Victoria
VICIn Victoria asbestos is classified as "reportable priority waste", which pulls business and removalist loads into EPA Victoria's Waste Tracker and permit system.
Read the VIC guide →Queensland
QLDIn Queensland asbestos is a "regulated waste", and how much you can move before you need a permit or tracking paperwork depends on the weight of the load.
Read the QLD guide →Western Australia
WAWestern Australia spreads asbestos rules across three bodies: Health for community handling, DWER for waste and illegal dumping, and WorkSafe for removal licensing.
Read the WA guide →South Australia
SAIn South Australia the EPA regulates asbestos transport and disposal, and asbestos is a tracked waste whenever it is moved commercially.
Read the SA guide →Tasmania
TASTasmania treats asbestos as controlled waste, and disposal is almost always by prior arrangement with a specific council facility.
Read the TAS guide →Australian Capital Territory
ACTThe ACT is stricter than most: a licensed removalist is required for all asbestos removal, and disposal is limited to two government waste centres.
Read the ACT guide →Northern Territory
NTIn the Northern Territory asbestos is a listed waste, disposal facilities are limited to a handful of regional centres, and an approval and booking are usually required before you arrive.
Read the NT guide →New Zealand
Looking for somewhere to take it? Browse licensed waste disposal facilities on Asbestos List, or find a licensed removalist to handle the job for you.