Council offers free Household Hazardous Waste collection event

Waipā District Council is partnering with Waikato Regional Council and 3R Group to host a free Household Hazardous Waste collection event for Waipā residents on Sunday 19 June.

“Registered residents will be able to drop off household hazardous waste at a dedicated location in Te Awamutu for safe disposal”, said Waipa District Council’s Waste Minimisation Officer, Sally Fraser.

“This is a chance for people to clear out chemicals from under their kitchen sink and garden shed, and have them safely and responsibly disposed of.

We are grateful to Waikato Regional Council’s support to be able to offer this event for free to residents. It is a great opportunity for locals because it can be really hard to find a place that accepts some of these wastes,” Fraser said.

ChemCollect Manager Jason Richards said his team had been managing hazardous waste collections for businesses and organisations for over ten years.

“All hazardous materials collected are sorted for their future disposal pathways. The majority of materials can be disposed of within New Zealand through certified disposal companies. Materials that can’t be managed nationally go offshore to be disposed of safely.”

Household hazardous waste types accepted at the registration-only event include paint, cleaners, poisons, solvents, batteries, garden chemicals, automotive wastes (brake fluid, oil, antifreeze and fuel), and pool chemicals.

Commercial and agricultural waste types are not eligible.

Residents are invited to register a spot to bring their hazardous waste. Registered residents will be contacted prior to the event to confirm their dedicated time slot and the event location details in Te Awamutu.

“I encourage residents to register quickly because spots are limited. Registrations are now open and close Friday 10 June, no unregistered waste will be accepted at the event and walk-ups are not possible. This is because we need to know what’s coming in to ensure our contractor is prepared to safely handle the materials,” added Fraser.

Those who attend will also be able to learn about existing recycling and safe disposal options for household hazardous materials and other items needing specialised recycling, like e-waste, gas bottles, paint, mobile phones and car batteries.

To register for the event and find out more about what is eligible for safe disposal, head to www.myhazwaste.kiwi/local-collection-te-awamutu.

Waipā District Council and 3R Group will also be hosting a registration-only event in Cambridge in early September. Residents wishing to be notified when registration opens can email waste.min@waipadc.govt.nz.