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Hazardous waste

Certain household products may pose a risk to human health or the environment if not disposed of correctly. You must not put hazardous products in your household rubbish bin. We won't be able to collect your bin if it contains any of the following: 

  • construction and demolition waste (hazardous and non-hazardous)
  • gas bottles or any liquids
  • chemicals (including drummed chemicals)
  • oil and fuel
  • paint and solvents
  • asbestos
  • car batteries
  • wood that is pressure treated or coated with wood preservatives, including fencing, sheds and decking
  • energy efficient light bulbs and fluorescent light tubes
  • gypsum plasterboard
  • mixed waste (if the waste contains a material that you would expect to be hazardous in it's own right, then the whole load should be treated as hazardous)
Some types of hazardous waste can be disposed of at Household Waste Recycling Sites. Check East Sussex County Council Household Waste Recycling Sites page to find your nearest location and see which materials are accepted at which sites.


Batteries can be recycled by dropping them off at specific collection points. Find your nearest battery recycling location with Recycle Now.

You can take energy efficient light bulbs for recycling at your local household waste recycling site. Bulbs should be kept intact and not broken as they contain small amounts of mercury. If you break a bulb, leave the room and open the window for at least 15 minutes.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, wear rubber gloves and aim to avoid creating and inhaling airborne dust. Sweep up all particles and glass fragments and place in a plastic bag. Wipe the area with a damp cloth and dispose of this in the bag and seal it. Mercury is hazardous and the bag should not be put in your rubbish bin. Instead, take the bag to your local household waste recycling site.

Electrical waste from home taken to household waste recycling sites must be separated from other waste. This means that we can make sure that more items can be recycled or disposed of safely rather than being thrown away.

This includes anything that is powered by electricity or batteries, from phones and hairdryers to fridges and washing machines, computers and televisions. Special containers are provided to make sure these items are collected separately.

Where can I recycle electrical waste?

  • household waste recycling sites accept any electrical waste from home

  • some recycling/bottle bank sites can take small electrical items from home like irons, toasters, radios, hairdryers and phones

  • retailer take back schemes some retailers take back old electrical goods in store for recycling, for example, when you buy a new item from them.

  • we can collect fridges and freezers from your home through our chargeable bulky waste collection service

Small electrical items can be recycled at the following centres

  • Anchor Fields, Ringmer
  • Lambs Bridge, Claremont Road, Seaford
  • Lower place, Newhaven
  • Phoenix car park, Malling Street, Lewes

Asbestos is a natural mineral that has been used in building construction for a number of years because of its fire retardant properties.  If it is in good condition and is dismantled and disposed of correctly, asbestos shouldn't cause health problems. However, if it is damaged, broken, drilled, cut or sanded, small fibres can be released which can cause long-term health problems.

Disposal of household bonded (hard sheet) asbestos waste is charged for at the following household waste recycling sites, where there are dedicated, sealed containers:

  • Eastbourne   
  • Hastings
  • Heathfield
  • Newhaven

Only 4 sheets or 6 small bags (roughly 25kg each) of bonded asbestos and plasterboard will be accepted per calendar month, per household. Bonded asbestos must be double wrapped in two layers of plastic. In order to monitor and enforce this monthly limit the staff will record the name, address and vehicle registration of all residents bringing asbestos to the site.

For general information on handling asbestos or finding your nearest licensed asbestos contractor, visit Health and Safety Executive - Asbestos Health and Safety.

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