Empty Drums and Drummed Solid Waste
Will WSN Environmental Solutions accept
my empty drums and drummed solid wastes?
Empty drums and solid waste in drums are accepted as Special Wastes, which
require different handling methods to ordinary waste to ensure nuisance-free,
safe and proper storage, transportation and disposal.
These additional requirements include
prior booking and site preparation, additional supervision and the careful
use of machinery.
The requirements for disposal of these wastes are part of the licence conditions
set by the NSW
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water
for WSN Environmental Solutions' landfills. The
guidelines are in place to protect the environment, staff and customers
at our waste management centres.
The following is a list of products that are accepted as Special Wastes
and the treatment necessary before they can be accepted at a landfill:
- Empty drums (eg. 20L, 200L) — empty drums or containers must have residual material effectively removed and be punctured at the top, middle and bottom along their height in two rows on opposite sides. The punctures must be at least 30mm by 30mm. The protocol for triple-rinsing procedure for cleaning empty chemical containers can be found in the NSW DECCW publication Environmental Guidelines: Assessment, Classification and Management of Liquid and Non-Liquid Wastes, Technical Appendix 3.
- Empty bags — empty bags must have residual material effectively removed. A Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) may be required to confirm the previous contents of the empty bags.
- Drummed waste — waste in the drums must be solid. Drums must be punctured at the top, middle and bottom along their height in two rows on opposite sides to demonstrate that the waste is solid. The punctures must be at least 30mm by 30mm. All inappropriate labelling must be obliterated or removed. Drummed solid waste is only accepted at Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre.
- There is a limit of 5 tonnes or 20 drums for drummed solid waste only (not empty drums).
Customers will be required to provide information on the source of the material. In many instances, customers will be required to send written documentation, a MSDS or sample analysis confirming contents of the load before a disposal booking number is obtained.
Empty drums and solid waste in drums must be booked as a special waste, which can only be accepted at nominated WSN landfills (not transfer stations). These wastes must be booked into a WSN landfill at least one working day prior to disposal by telephoning 1300 651 116 between 7.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday. Charges and payment methods are available from our Customer Service staff.
Please separate special waste from general waste to avoid paying the higher special waste rate for general waste.
Please note that unused bookings do not carry forward - if you miss your appointment, you will have to make a new booking.
Waste and Recycling Centres that accept Special Waste: From time to time site operations may vary, which may limit access to some of these facilities. You will be notified about any likely changes when booking your waste.
What else can I do with my empty drums and drummed solid wastes?
drumMUSTER is the National program that has been set up for the collection and recycling of cleaned eligible non returnable crop production and on-farm animal health chemical containers. As a chemical user, drumMUSTER provides you with a defined route to safely dispose of your used chemical containers. All you are required to do is clean your containers so they are free of any chemical residue, then deliver them to one of over 700 receival sites across Australia.
ChemClear is an ongoing national program for the collection and disposal of unwanted rural agricultural & veterinary chemicals.
