East Suffolk Council

Hazardous waste

Hazardous waste is any solid or liquid material that may cause harm to human health or the environment if not disposed of correctly.

Examples of hazardous waste:

• Asbestos
• Flammable liquids
• Garden chemicals
• Household cleaning products
• Motoring products
• Paint (Liquid)
• Photographic chemicals
• Poisons
• Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders
• Items containing mercury

Disposal must be done in a way that avoids harming the environment or causing harm to human health. You should never dispose of household hazardous waste (e.g. pesticides or creosote) down sinks, drains, lavatories, watercourses, ditches, near wildlife habitats or ponds. Hazardous waste must not be placed in your normal household rubbish bin.

• Fly-tipped hazardous waste reporting form

Products for disposal should not be mixed together, and containers should be clearly labelled.  

• Visit our clinical waste page for further information on the disposal of clinical waste, syringes and needles
• For further information on waste reduction and recycling visit the Suffolk Recycling website.

Domestic hazardous waste and asbestos collections

From 1 December 2023 hazardous waste collections can be booked directly with Suffolk County Council’s contractor Biffa. You do not need to contact your district or borough council to book a hazardous waste collection. Find out how to book a hazardous waste collection. Charges apply.

Disposal of paint

Empty paint containers

Empty containers of paint (regardless of type) and chemicals can be disposed of in the general household waste bin.

• Leave the lid off so the refuse collection crews can see they are empty.
• Empty and dry metal paint cans can also be recycled with scrap metal at one of the 11 household waste and recycling centres in Suffolk. Some sites also have facilities to recycle empty plastic containers.

Partly used paint containers

Tins of emulsion paint can be disposed of by adding soil and sand to it and leaving it with the lid off (away from children and animals). Once it has solidified it can be disposed of in the black bin.

• Try to use up all your paint - if you only have a small amount left apply another coat to an area that might need extra protection.

Full paint containers

You could see if somebody else could use it. If you can't use your leftover paint, consider donating it to community or theatre groups, schools, churches or others who may need or want it.

Household Waste and Recycling Centres

Hazardous waste such as syringes, asbestos, poisons or flammable liquids cannot be taken to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRC) although it will accept the following items:

• Motor oil
• Car batteries
• Household dry cell batteries
• Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs
• Used cooking oil

For more details, visit the Suffolk Recycling website.