Asbestos, hazardous, and special waste

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) refers to everyday products that are flammable, toxic, explosive, or corrosive. If not handled safely, HHW can:

• Cause burns or poisoning if touched, swallowed, or breathed in 
• Start fires or create toxic fumes if heated or mixed 
• Pollute our soil and waterways if it leaks 
• Injure our waste collectors if placed in your household bins or on the verge

The Waste Management Centre offers free disposal for a range of HHW (maximum of 20 litres or 20 kgs per item), including:

• Acids and alkalis
• Aerosols
• Batteries – household (tape terminals)
• Batteries – car batteries and lithium ion (does not include any embedded batteries which cannot be removed from the device, or electric vehicle batteries)
• Engine oils, coolants, and glycols
• Fire extinguishers – non-halon only
• Flammables
• Flares
• Fluorescent lamps, light globes, and tubes (CFLs)
• Gas cylinders and bottles (BBQ and small leisure or camping LPGs, butane canisters and disposable helium cylinders only)
• Household chemicals, such as cleaners
• Paint
• Pesticides/herbicides
• Poisons/toxics
• Pool chemicals
• Smoke detectors

Unknown chemicals must be in sealed, chemical resistant containers.

E-waste is electrical and/or electronic waste that includes items like printers, computers, TVs, mobile phones, and cables. 

E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream. Old electronics contain hazardous materials, like arsenic and cadmium, but also valuable materials like gold, silver, and copper. When recycled correctly, up to 99% of materials can be recovered or disposed of safely. 

• Do not put e-waste in your kerbside bins or verge collections. 
• Donate: If it still works, ask friends or charities if they can use it. 
• Recycle: Take irreparable items to the Waste Management Centre for free disposal or find your nearest drop-off point.

Batteries should never be placed in household bins. Around 90% of batteries are disposed of incorrectly, creating fire risks in rubbish trucks and sending toxic chemicals into landfill.

How to recycle batteries 

1. Tape the terminals of your batteries (for safety) 
2. Store them in a cool, dry place 
3. Drop them off at a dedicated battery recycling bin 

Free battery disposal locations 

• City facilities: Administration Building (3 Peel St), Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre (MARC), and Billy Dower Youth Centre 
• Libraries: Mandurah, Lakelands, and Falcon 
• Waste Management Centre: 80 Corsican Place, Parklands 
• Participating retailers: Many local stores provide battery disposal bins, including Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, and Officeworks. Look for the battery recycling bin near the front of the store.

Medical Waste

Many pharmacies collect old medicines and dispose of them properly. If you have leftover or expired medicines, please discuss with your pharmacist the correct way to dispose of them.  

Blister packs (empty pill packets) can be disposed at the following locations: 

• Mandurah Scrap Metal (5 Rafferty Road)  
• Chemist Warehouse Singleton (3 Redwood Avenue, Karnup) 

Find more locations via Pharmacycle's website. 

Sharps (needles and syringes)

The City of Mandurah Administration Building (3 Peel Street) provides sharps containers and accepts safe disposal of sharps when placed in an approved container. 

If you find a syringe in a public place: 

• Don’t be alarmed 
• Use a strong, rigid plastic container with a lid 
• Pick up the syringe by the blunt end only 
• Place it point‑first into the container 
• Seal the lid tightly 

Do not: 

• Touch the needle tip or try to re‑cap the needle 
• Hold the container while placing the syringe inside 
• Dispose of syringes in toilets, recycling bins, or post boxes 

Once sealed, place the container in your general waste bin or at the City's sharps disposal. 

If you’re uncomfortable handling the syringe, please contact the City for assistance.

To dispose of solar panels in Mandurah, please take to the Waste Management Centre.

To dispose of a mattress, you have the following options: 

• Drop‑off at the Waste Management Centre
  A fee of $38 applies per mattress unit, or you may use one general waste voucher to dispose of up to two mattresses (no other items permitted). 
  A mattress is charged per unit, regardless of size; single, double, queen, and king mattresses are all treated as one unit. Bed bases, frames, and other components are not included and must be disposed of separately. 
  
  
• Verge collection
  Up to two mattresses per property can be placed out during a scheduled junk and metals verge collection.