Hazardous waste and asbestos

You can dispose of small amounts of hazardous waste, such as vehicle batteries, car oil and household/garden chemicals at our recycling centres.

We've provided further information below about disposing of:

• petrol or diesel
• batteries
• asbestos

You can also find further information on hazardous waste on GOV.UK.

Petrol or diesel

These materials are classed as hazardous waste and may pose a risk to human health or the environment if not disposed of correctly. We cannot accept petrol or diesel at either of our recycling centres. Some car part shops are designated hazardous waste drop-off sites, or check with a local garage.

Batteries

We now collect the following household batteries from the kerbside: D, C, AA, AAA, AAAA (1.5-volt), A23 (12-volt), PP3 (9-volt), CR2032 (3-volt), and LR44 (1.5-volt). NiMH battery terminals should be taped over because they may not be fully discharged.

Put your used batteries in a see-through bag and place them sealed on top of your black wheelie bin ready to be collected on your relevant collection day. Our new waste collection vehicles have special compartments designed just for these batteries, ensuring they're safely recycled.

You can take non-household batteries, such as car batteries, to our recycling centres for disposal.

Asbestos

If you think you have found asbestos, either at home or at work, it is important you deal with it carefully.

Undisturbed asbestos usually poses no problems. However, you should always take care to prevent the release of fibres, as they can cause serious damage to your health.

You can find more information about asbestos on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.

Disposing of asbestos

West Berkshire residents must arrange a (free) appointment to dispose of cement-bonded asbestos at Newtown Road facility in Newbury. To make an asbestos appointment, call customer services on 01635 519080.

You can only dispose of a maximum of 15 sheets (or equivalent) of cement-bonded asbestos within a 12 month period. This quantity can be taken on one visit or over a number of visits. If you need to dispose of more than 15 sheets (or equivalent), please contact a private waste contractor who is registered to handle asbestos. The Asbestos Removal Contractors Association provides details of accredited asbestos removal contractors.

Before making an appointment, please read our terms and conditions below.
 

Wokingham Borough Council residents should contact Wokingham Borough Council Waste Services.

Terms and conditions

You must comply with all of the following for free disposal of your asbestos waste at Newtown Road recycling centre, Newbury:

• you must book an appointment via customer services
• the cement bonded asbestos must be from your property (for example: a shed roof, drainpipes, water tank or tiles) - waste from a business or removed by a builder will not be accepted
• you cannot dispose of more than 15 sheets (or equivalent) of cement bonded asbestos no bigger than 1.2m by 0.6m, within a twelve month period - this is approximately equal to the amount that comes from a standard single garage roof
• the cement bonded asbestos must be double bagged or double wrapped in heavy duty plastic, to prevent it from tearing the packaging and sealed with tape
• you must bring proof of current address and photo ID with you when you visit the site (for example: a recent utility bill and passport or driving licence)
• you must provide your own protective equipment when disposing of the bonded asbestos on the site - please refer to the Health and Safety Executive website for more information
• if you need assistance to move the asbestos from your vehicle to the skip, you must bring someone with you to help do this
   

At the site

When you arrive, park in the zone 1 lay by. Let the member of staff at the entrance gate know that you have an asbestos appointment booked. You must do this before any material is unloaded from your vehicle.

You will need to show proof of ID and address. If you fail to provide the required documents you will be unable to dispose of your asbestos.

The site staff are required to assess the waste and check the bagging/wrapping is secure to prevent contamination to themselves and other site users. Occasional handling of correctly bagged/wrapped asbestos waste should pose no threat, but regular handling may be dangerous for the long-term health of site staff. Therefore, we cannot permit site staff to handle asbestos waste on a regular basis. If you need help transferring the waste to the skip, you should arrange for someone to accompany you to the site.