How do you remove hazardous waste?

Most of us are pretty good at sorting out the bins – recycling here, general rubbish there. But what about the tricky stuff? Leftover paint, old batteries, brake fluid? Does that go in with the general waste? Nope. Recycling? Nope. It’s called hazardous waste, and it needs a different kind of attention.

Hazardous waste isn’t just a business problem – a lot of household hazardous waste can be found in sheds, garages, or under the sink. Getting rid of it the wrong way can put human health and the environment at risk, not to mention possibly land you with heavy fines if you’re caught in the act. Let’s walk through how to handle and dispose of hazardous waste properly, safely, and legally.

Spoiler alert, it turns out you don’t actually have to do a lot…

Why proper hazardous waste disposal matters

Hazardous waste can be dangerous. From corrosive materials like drain cleaners to toxic substances like paint stripper or battery acid, these materials can cause serious harm if they’re not dealt with properly. There’s also the legal side. Whether it’s business waste or something from home, you have to make sure it’s managed the right way, or else you could be fined by your local council. That means no tipping it in general bins, pouring it down drains, or dumping it out back.

What counts as hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste covers a wide range of materials, and many are more common than you might think. Here are a few hazardous waste items you might have lying around:

• Household batteries and battery acid
• Brake fluid, paint stripper, and liquid paint
• Drain cleaners and other corrosive materials
• Fluorescent tubes and cathode ray tubes (old TVs and monitors)
• Clinical waste
• Fibrous asbestos
• Mattresses

Whether it’s coming from your home or business – if it’s harmful, flammable, toxic, or reactive, it’s likely hazardous waste.

Common places you’ll find hazardous waste

Many people don’t realise how often hazardous waste crops up in everyday life. It’s not just something you find in factories or workshops – there are plenty of items in homes and workplaces that fall under hazardous waste regulations.

1. Around the house:

• Garage or shed: Leftover paint, brake fluid, antifreeze, weedkiller
• Under the sink: Bleach, oven cleaner, drain unblockers
• Battery drawer: Dead household batteries or vape batteries
• Old tech: TVs, monitors, and fluorescent lamps

2. In businesses:

• Offices: Toner cartridges, cleaning chemicals, computer monitors
• Construction sites: Fibrous asbestos, adhesives, solvent-based products
• Healthcare settings: Clinical waste, sharps, contaminated materials

How to handle hazardous waste safely

When it comes to hazardous waste management, the safest option is to let the professionals take care of it. Trying to handle it yourself can be risky, and it’s easy to get it wrong. Here’s how simple it becomes when you work with a licensed waste company like Wheeldon Brothers:

1. Let us identify the waste: Not sure if it’s hazardous? No problem. We’ll help you figure it out so nothing dangerous slips through the net. Just give us a call.
2. We’ll collect it safely: Our trained team will come to you, collect the waste securely, and make sure it’s handled in line with all the proper safety rules.
3. We handle the transport: Hazardous waste can’t just go in a skip – it needs to be moved carefully, with the right paperwork. We’ve got that covered.
4. We take it to the right place: Whether it needs recycling, specialist treatment, or safe disposal, we make sure it goes where it should – not just to landfill.

Don’t take the risk. Leave it to Wheeldon Brothers

If you’ve got hazardous waste piling up – whether it’s leftover paint, batteries, brake fluid, or something trickier – don’t stress. Wheeldon Brothers has your back with quick, reliable, and affordable hazardous waste removal services and skip hire across Greater Manchester.

We make it easy to get rid of awkward or potentially dangerous waste safely, legally, and without the hassle. Our friendly, fully licensed team handles everything from collection to waste disposal, so you don’t have to lift a finger. Give us a call or book online today, and we’ll get it sorted – quickly, safely, and without breaking the bank.