Skip to main content

Asbestos and hazardous waste

For the safety and wellbeing of all residents and community members, strict precautions must be followed when removing, transporting, and disposing of asbestos and other hazardous waste.

Asbestos information

Asbestos is a hazardous substance which presents a potential health risk.

The Health (Asbestos) Regulations 1992 outlines requirements for handling and removing asbestos. This includes wrapping asbestos in polyurethane plastic to prevent asbestos fibers from entering the atmosphere.

The only way to determine whether you have asbestos on your property is through laboratory testing. If you are not sure, always treat the material like it is asbestos.

You can also engage the services of a Worksafe licensed contractor to remove asbestos for you. A WorkSafe licensed contractor must be used if the amount of asbestos is over 10 square metres.

For more information on asbestos cement products in your home, please see the information below on asbestos removal, and the Department of Health website.

Poisons Information Centre

In case of suspected poisoning, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

Please check the information below to learn more about hazardous waste.

The nearest transfer station to Subiaco accepting asbestos and hazardous household waste is West Metro Recycling Centre, on the corner of Brockway Road and Lemnos Street, Mount Claremont.

Disposal of asbestos at this site is subject to meeting requirements. For more information on these guidelines please visit the Western Metropolitan Regional Council website.

For more disposal locations please refer to waste management facilities (PDF, 91KB).

Household hazardous waste products can cause harm to the environment and to personal health, so it's important to know the right ways to dispose of them. Because of their dangerous properties, you can't dispose of them in your green waste bin, recycling bin or even your bulk verge collection.

Household hazardous waste includes:

  • acids

  • aerosols

  • alkalis

  • batteries (lead-acid and dry-cell. Dry-cell batteries can also be dropped off at Bunnings Homebase Subiaco)

  • compact fluorescent lights and tubes

  • cyanides

  • engine coolants and glycols

  • fire extinguishers (non-halon only)

  • flammable liquids (e.g. fuels and hydrocarbons)

  • flammable solids

  • flares

  • general household chemicals (e.g. cleaning products)

  • heavy metal compounds

  • inorganic oxidising agents (e.g. pool chlorine)

  • smoke detectors

  • mercury (e.g. thermometres)

  • organic peroxides

  • paint (for home tips on disposing of paint, read the APMF brochure)

  • PCB materials (e.g. transformers, generators, capacitors, fluorescent light fittings, electric motors, ceiling fans and dishwasher assembled prior to 1980)

  • pesticides

  • solvents.

For all commercial hazardous waste enquiries, please call the City on 9237 9254.

Household hazardous waste may be dropped off at the West Metro Recycling Centre, on the corner of Brockway Road and Lemnos Street, Shenton Park. For your safety, there are precautions you should follow when transporting chemicals to the Recycling Centre:

  • keep chemicals in their original containers

  • ensure lids fit tightly

  • place containers of liquids in a tray or plastic bucket so that they do not spill or fall

  • pack powders and solids securely

  • keep corrosive chemicals, such as battery acid, away from poisons

  • keep oxidising agents, such as peroxide, away for other materials

  • protect taps on drums so taps do not break off

  • travel with your car windows down if carrying flammable or odorous materials

  • double-wrap old liquid containers in plastic bags to prevent leaking.

For more information, visit the Western Metropolitan Regional Council website.