Asbestos & hazardous waste

Asbestos is a natural fibrous form of mineral silicate. Until the early 1980s it was used widely for:

• Roofing, cladding, insulation, textured ceilings, water pipe lagging and floor coverings i.e. linoleum in the building industry.
  
• Household products i.e. kitchen mittens, simmer pads i.e. linoleum etc.
  

If you suspect you have asbestos on your property do not disturb or move it until either it has been positively identified or you have received advice on how to safely deal with it.

You can find a full rundown of the serious hazard asbestos poses by visiting the dedicated Ministry of Health page.

How to identify asbestos

Asbestos can only be identified by laboratory testing. Contact the Public Health Service on (04) 570 9002 if you suspect there is asbestos on your property or to have a sample tested.

Disposing asbestos

Only approved operators can remove and dispose of asbestos. WorkSafe New Zealand publishes a list of certified asbestos removers.

You need to apply a permit to have asbestos buried at the landfill. 

• Application form to dispose of asbestos (27KB pdf).
  

We also have a checklist to points to tick off when you are having asbestos removed form a property.

Phone the Solid Waste Team on (04) 237 5089 for more information about disposing of asbestos. 

What are hazardous substances?

A hazardous substance includes any substance that has one or more of the following properties:

• Explosiveness
  
• Flammability
  
• The capacity to oxidize
  
• Corrosiveness
  
• Acute or chronic toxicity
  
• Ecotoxicity, with or without bio accumulation (i.e. it can kill any type of life form either directly or indirectly by environmental build up e.g. in the ground, water, vegetation etc); or
  
• The ability to generate toxic substances with any of the above properties upon contact with air or water.
  

You need to apply for a certificate to dispose of special or potentially hazardous substances at the Spicer Landfill.

• Special or potentially hazardous waste disposal certificate (Word). 
  

The application form describes the types of waste that will be accepted at the landfill.

• Find out more about working with hazardous substances from the Environmental Protection Authority.