Household hazardous waste

Household Hazardous Waste

Did you know that some household items are unsafe to go in any bin?

Explosive, corrosive or toxic materials pose a health risk to you, your pets, our waste collectors and the environment and need to be taken to your nearest Household Hazardous Waste facility for safe disposal.

The good news is that the West Metro Recycling Centre is a permanent Household Hazardous Waste facility, so you can drop off a range of items for free. See the accepted items list below and note that there is a 20kg or 20L per material type per person limit, per visit. No commercials please.

Accepted items

  • Acids
  • Aerosols
  • Alkalis
  • Batteries (lead-acid and dry-cell)
  • 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
  • Gas cylinders (small household)
  • General household chemicals (e.g. cleaning products)
  • Heavy metal compounds
  • Inorganic oxidising agents (e.g. pool chlorine)
  • Mercury (e.g. thermometers)
  • Organic peroxides
  • Paint
  • PCB materials
  • Pesticides
  • Smoke detectors
  • Solvents
  • Unknown chemicals (must be in sealed, chemical resistant containers)

Item not listed above? Check Materials Not Accepted by the WMRC table below.

the West Metro Recycling Centre is a registered depot for accepting household hazardous waste

Please note:

The WMRC can only accept household quantities of hazardous waste. If you have items for disposal / recycling not listed above or have commercial quantities, please refer to table below.

As HHW is toxic, flammable or corrosive, it needs to be handled properly. For safe storage and transporting tips, see the Household Hazardous Waste Brochure

Asbestos is classified as dangerous goods and is not covered by the HHW drop-off scheme, however it can be disposed of at the WMRC for a small fee. Please see our guidelines on how to prepare your asbestos for disposal.

This Program is supported by funding from the State Government through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account, and administered by the Waste Authority.

Materials NOT accepted at WMRC include:

Material Where to find more information on disposal options
Pharmaceuticals and Medications Drop-off to local pharmacy for free under the RUM Project.
Nickel Cadmium solar storage batteries Contact Cleanaway Kwinana Technical and Environmental Services (formerly Toxfree) for a quote, or call (08) 6595 8700
Sharps and Needles Practices in WA collecting sharps for disposal.
Halon (Yellow) Fire Extinguishers The National Halon Bank operates a free call service to advise on disposal: Call 1800 658 084
Explosives (other than Flares) Contact WA Police for disposal 131 444
Ammunition or Firearms Drop off at a local Police Station for free disposal
Commercial Chemicals or Quantities (containers over 20kg / 20L ChemClear provides a collection and disposal service for users of agricultural and veterinary chemicals e.g. primary producers, agricultural and veterinary businesses, pest control managers, forestry, Local and State Government, golf courses, and any other users. Please contact them for more information. For other materials from non-domestic sources, please contact Kwinana Technical and Environmental Services for a quote on collection and disposal.
Nitrous oxide canisters of any size (including “nangs”) Cleanaway provides disposal services for commercials

Questions? Call the Recycling Hotline (08) 9384 6711