Asbestos Disposal in Australian Capital Territory

The ACT is stricter than most: a licensed removalist is required for all asbestos removal, and disposal is limited to two government waste centres.

Where asbestos waste can go

Asbestos must be buried at a landfill licensed to receive it. In the ACT that means the Mugga Lane or Mitchell Resource Management Centres, with commercial loads accepted at Mugga Lane by appointment only and a disposal form lodged two days ahead. It can't go in recycling, garden or general waste bins.

Official facility list: City Services ACT: asbestos disposal.

Who can remove and dispose of it

Householders can drop up to 60 kg of domestic asbestos at Mugga Lane or Mitchell for free, with no appointment: at most three packages, each no larger than 600 × 600 × 200 mm and no heavier than 20 kg. Loads of 60 to 250 kg must be booked with Remondis on 13 73 73, are charged, and are accepted at Mugga Lane only. But unlike other states, the ACT requires a licensed removalist for all asbestos removal work, having removed the national exemption that lets people self-remove up to 10 square metres.

How to package and label it

However you get asbestos to a facility, it has to be contained the same way:

1. Keep the material wet and intact. Never break, cut or sand it to make it fit.
2. Double-wrap or double-bag it in heavy-duty 200-micron (0.2 mm) polythene plastic, and seal every join and opening with strong adhesive tape.
3. For free household drop-off, each package can be no larger than 600 × 600 × 200 mm and no heavier than 20 kg, with a maximum of three packages.
4. If the material won't fit those limits without breaking it, don't break it. Ask your licensed removalist to book a charged disposal instead.
5. Label each package clearly as asbestos waste, for example "CAUTION ASBESTOS: DO NOT INHALE DUST".

Transporting and tracking the waste

Asbestos waste must be moved in a covered, leak-proof vehicle, and the vehicle must be cleaned before it leaves the landfill. There is no consignment tracking for moving asbestos within the ACT; moving controlled waste interstate needs prior consignment authorisation, and loose-fill (Mr Fluffy) waste can't be disposed of interstate at all.

Penalties for getting it wrong

Causing environmental harm, including improper disposal, is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1997. The EPA's responses range from warning letters and penalty notices to prosecution.

Specific to Australian Capital Territory

• The ACT requires a licensed removalist for all asbestos removal, with no 10 square metre DIY exemption.
• The free household limit dropped from 250 kg to 60 kg on 1 July 2026, so older guides quoting 250 kg are out of date.
• Disposal is limited to the Mugga Lane and Mitchell Resource Management Centres.
• The Mr Fluffy (loose-fill asbestos) legacy is managed under a dedicated eradication scheme, and that waste can't leave the territory.

Who regulates this

• Environment Protection Authority (Access Canberra)Waste transport, disposal and environmental harm
• WorkSafe ACTAsbestos removal licensing

Not sure you should handle it yourself? Find a licensed asbestos removalist on Asbestos List, or read the Class A vs Class B licence guide to understand who can do what.

This information is a general reference for Australian Capital Territory and can change. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant regulator and the receiving facility before transporting or disposing of asbestos waste.

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