Can Asbestos Go in a Skip Bin?
No. Not in a skip bin, not in your kerbside bin, and not in a council clean up. It is the one item that turns a routine bin hire into a real problem. Here is what to do with it instead.
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Short answer: asbestos cannot go in any skip bin in NSW. Homeowners can remove less than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos themselves, wrapped and labelled, and take it to a licensed landfill that accepts it. Anything bigger, or any friable asbestos, needs a licensed removalist.
Updated October 2026.
Why skip bins cannot take it
Skip bin waste goes to sorting facilities and landfills that are not set up for asbestos. If a fibro sheet turns up in a load, the whole bin can be rejected or quarantined, and the cost of dealing with it as asbestos waste comes back to whoever hired the bin. Action Bins does not accept asbestos in any bin.
What you can do yourself
| Situation | Who can remove it |
|---|---|
| Bonded asbestos, less than 10 square metres | The homeowner, or a tradesperson for the homeowner |
| Bonded asbestos, more than 10 square metres | A licensed removalist (Class B or Class A) |
| Friable asbestos, any amount | A Class A licensed removalist only |
Bonded asbestos is the firm kind, like fibro sheeting. Friable asbestos crumbles by hand, like old pipe lagging or some insulation. Rules are from SafeWork NSW.
Disposing of a small amount safely
1. Keep it damp. Lightly wet it to keep dust down. Do not use a high pressure hose.
2. Do not break or cut it. Remove sheets whole where you can.
3. Double wrap it. Use heavy duty plastic. 0.2mm sheeting is the usual standard. Tape it closed.
4. Label it. Mark each package clearly as asbestos.
5. Phone ahead. Only some landfills accept asbestos from the public, and most want notice. The NSW EPA website lists the facilities that do.
Some councils run a free collection for small amounts. City of Parramatta, for example, collects up to 10 square metres of loose bonded asbestos for registered residents. Check with your council first.
Loads over 100 kilograms or 10 square metres have to be tracked through the NSW EPA’s WasteLocate system. That is one more reason to hand anything sizeable to a licensed removalist.
Asbestos gone and ready for the rest of the clean up? We can have a bin there today.
Where asbestos hides in Sydney homes
Asbestos was used widely in Australian building until the mid 1980s and banned completely at the end of 2003. In a house built before 1990, be careful with:
- Fibro wall and eave sheeting
- Wet area walls behind old tiles
- Vinyl floor tiles and sheet backing
- Corrugated cement roofing and fences
- Old pipe lagging and some insulation
- Textured ceilings
Get it tested before a bathroom, laundry or kitchen strip out. A test costs far less than a rejected bin.
After the asbestos is out
Once it has gone to the right place, the rest of the job is a normal skip bin. Renovation waste goes in a mixed heavy waste bin, tiles and concrete in a rubble bin.
Related pages
Common questions
Can asbestos go in a skip bin?
No. Asbestos cannot go in any skip bin, kerbside bin or council clean up in NSW. It has to go to a licensed landfill that accepts asbestos.
Can I remove asbestos myself in NSW?
A homeowner can remove less than 10 square metres of bonded (non-friable) asbestos. Anything over 10 square metres, and any friable asbestos at all, needs a licensed asbestos removalist.
How do I wrap asbestos for disposal?
Keep it damp, do not break it, and double wrap it in heavy duty plastic. 0.2mm plastic is the usual standard. Seal it with tape, label it as asbestos, and phone the landfill before you take it.
What happens if asbestos is found in a skip bin?
The load is usually rejected or quarantined at the facility, and the cost of handling it as asbestos waste goes back to the hirer. It can also bring a fine.
How do I know if something is asbestos?
You cannot tell by looking. If the house was built before 1990 and you are dealing with fibro sheeting, eaves, old wet area walls, vinyl floor backing or corrugated roofing, treat it as asbestos until a test says otherwise.