Asbestos

Asbestos is a hazardous material that can have health effects on yourself and others if asbestos fibres become airborne. Asbestos waste is a regulated waste and requires statutory controls when transporting for disposal.

• It is illegal to dispose of asbestos waste in domestic garbage bins
• It is illegal to re-use, recycle or illegally dump asbestos products
• It is illegal to store, sell or give away asbestos.
• Asbestos cannot be disposed of, under any circumstances, at any of council’s rural transfer stations.

Where can I transport asbestos for disposal?

Asbestos loads of less than 175kg must be wrapped appropriately and disposed of at the Paget Waste Management Centre, Crichton's Road, Paget. Loads larger than 175kg must be hauled to Hogan's Pocket Landfill by a regulated waste carrier and must be pre-booked via the council's Online booking system before 3pm 24 hours in advance.

Who can transport asbestos for disposal?

There are different legal requirements when transporting and disposing of asbestos.  Depending upon the amount of asbestos and type of carrier, you may need to obtain either one or both of the following:

• Environmental authority (EA) for the Environmentally Relevant Activity for Regulated Waste Transport (ERA 57).
• Waste Tracking Certificate (WTC).

These are outlined as follows:

Domestic clients with 175kg or less of asbestos:

The regulated waste transport laws do not apply if you are transporting less than 175kg or less of asbestos waste in a vehicle on a non-commercial basis and neither an EA nor WTC are applicable. While approval is not required, you must transport and dispose of the asbestos waste promptly, safely and legally.

If you are taking the asbestos waste to a council approved site, place the double wrapped/bagged asbestos waste (labelled as containing asbestos) in a trailer or in the back of a utility or truck. Secure your load and ensure the plastic wrappings/bags are not at risk of ripping. Follow the gate attendants directions when you arrive at the site.

Alternatively, you may choose to engage a commercial contractor to transport and dispose of the waste for you.

Domestic clients with over 175kg of asbestos:

The regulated waste transport laws apply if you are transporting more than 175kg of waste asbestos in a vehicle on a non-commercial basis. The best option would be to engage a commercial contractor to undertake the transport and disposal.

Domestic clients with over 250kg of asbestos:

The regulated waste transport regulations apply if you are transporting 250kg or more of waste asbestos in a vehicle on a non-commercial basis. Vehicles must have an EA and the transport of the asbestos must be through a WTC.  The best option would be to engage a commercial contractor to undertake the transport and disposal.

Commercial clients:

An EA is not required for the transportation of 175kg or less of asbestos waste however a WTC is required to transport asbestos, regardless of the weight. If the main purpose of your commercial operation is not transporting regulated waste, but you transport asbestos waste as an incidental part of carrying out your main business, you do not need to hold an environmental authority for regulated waste transport however you will need a waste tracking certificate.

Regulated waste transport regulations apply if you are transporting more than 175kg of asbestos waste. The following must be in place for commercial operators:

• obtain an environmental authority for regulated waste transport for loads >175kg.
• obtain a waste tracking certificate regardless of the weight of the asbestos.

If transporting asbestos is not your main commercial operation you may want to engage a commercial contractor to undertake the transport and disposal.

As of July 1, 2024 if you are transporting and disposing of asbestos at an MRC approved facility you will require the following:

*WTC required regardless of weight/size of load including those <175kg.

As a general guide, 175kg of typical flat asbestos cement sheet waste would occupy about a fifth of a normal household trailer. A quarter of a trailer would equate to approximately 250kg.

Additional details can be found at www.asbestos.qld.gov.au.

How do I prepare the asbestos for disposal?

Remember when disposing of asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM):

• double bag it in plastic bags that are at least 200 micron thick with each bag securely sealed with adhesive tape (e.g. duct tape) and ensure that each package or bag is no more than 1200mm long and 900mm wide; or
• double wrap it in 200 micron plastic with each layer securely sealed with adhesive tape (e.g. duct tape). There are no maximum dimensions for wrapped packages; and
• ensure that each bag or package:
  • is clearly labelled to identify it as asbestos;
  • remains securely sealed during transport and handling;
  • that damage to the packaging and dust inhalation is avoided; and
  • can be easily and safely manually handled by the customer or, for larger packages, the customer and one other person (Note: Council does not provide assistance when unloading).

Refer to Queensland Government asbestos website for more information.

When can I dispose of asbestos at Paget?

Up to 175kgs of asbestos can be accepted anytime at Paget Waste Management Centre from 6.15am to 5.45pm seven days per week.

What is the procedure at Paget?

Drive to the gatehouse. Here the operator will assess your load to ensure that you have met the bagging and labelling requirements. If satisfied, your vehicle will be weighed and the operator will direct you to the asbestos bin where you can unload the material. Please note that this area is under CCTV surveillance from the gatehouse. Once you have placed the material into the bin, you then drive back to the gatehouse for your vehicle to be weighed and payment is made.

Can you help me unload the material?

Unfortunately no. Council gatehouse operators are busy managing the 300 customers that the facility receives in each day. There are no forklifts available to assist, as they are committed to other work. If you are bringing material in, plan ahead regarding how will you transfer the material from your vehicle into the allocated bin.

To make disposal easier:

• Bring a friend to help.
• When wrapping the material, ensure that it is in lots that you can easily lift. Wrap only a couple of sheets at a time, not the whole load as one lot. This will make it easier to transfer it from the vehicle into the bin. Please note that asbestos loads will be rejected if the bags are torn or compromised during the unloading process.

How much will it cost?

To find out how much it will cost to dispose asbestos please visit the fees and charges page.

How can I obtain more information on disposal from council?

Contact council via:

Website: www.mackay.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1300 622 529
Email: council@mackay.qld.gov.au
Facsimile: (07) 4944 2400
Post: Mackay Regional Council. PO Box 41, Mackay. QLD. 4740.