Electronic and hazardous waste recycling and safe disposal

Some waste causes greater environmental harm if sent to landfill, and should be recycled if possible, or disposed of carefully. We're doing our best to appropriately dispose of or recycle these waste materials, to reduce the potential environmental harm they may cause.

You can help by disposing of them as outlined below.

Our e-waste service at Ōtaki is suspended until further notice due to repeated vandalism and theft. You can drop your e-waste at the Otaihanga e-waste facility instead. The Ōtaki transfer station is still operating.

Otaihanga Transfer Station

No charge

Waste	Where (Opening hours)	Cost
E-waste
TVs – all CRT and flat screens	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
TVs – all CRT and flat screens	Otaihanga Zero Waste	Contact OZW directly for the fee.
Flat panel computer screens	Otaihanga Transfer Station	No charge.
CRT computer monitors	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee
Batteries (household, power tool) – undamaged only	Otaihanga Transfer Station Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires during transport and in landfill if disposed of with your general waste – if damaged see below.	No charge.
Batteries (car batteries)	Otaihanga Transfer Station	No charge.
Batteries – swollen or damaged lithium-ion batteries See what to do with damaged lithium-ion batteries.	Hazardous Waste Storage Facility, Southern Landfill, Wellington City	Free for up to 20kg or 20l of hazardous waste. See more information on disposing domestic hazardous waste at Southern Landfill.
Stoves and dishwashers	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
Fire extinguishers	Contact the retailer or distributor that you purchased the fire extinguisher from to ask about return to them for safe recovery/recycling. This aligns with current best practice related to extended producer/distributor responsibility for the goods they sell. Ask your retailer if they will accept old fire extinguishers for safe disposal when a replacement is purchased at the same time.	Porirua City Council’s Spicer Landfill accept fire extinguishers for disposal at a June 2025 cost of $3.50 each. Wellington City Council Southern Landfill accepts domestic hazardous goods (free for up to 20kg) including fire extinguishers.
Fridges/freezers	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee. This charge covers degassing and recycling.
Fridges/freezers	Otaihanga Zero Waste	Contact OZW directly for the fee.
Fluorescent light bulbs	Drop off at Otaihanga Transfer Station.	No charge.
mobile phones cordless phones computer screens gaming consoles projectors laptops/Chromebooks/ tablets computers keyboards, mice, etc cameras microwaves small kitchen appliances vacuum cleaners water blasters chargers adapters electrical wire, cables and cords power tools heat pumps dehumidifiers heaters, fans audio systems hair-styling appliances VCR and DVD players digital clocks and radios services, modems and routers telecommunications infrastructure PC parts (circuit boards/motherboards/ RAM/hard drives/PS	Drop off in the e-waste containers at Otaihanga Transfer Station. Note: For bulk quantities, or for commercial e-waste collection contracts a range of options exist across the wider Wellington region which you can access via web search.	No charge.
Scrap metal	Otaihanga Transfer Station	Gate fees apply
Scrap metal	Ōtaki Transfer Station	No charge.
Scrap metal	Otaihanga Zero Waste	No charge.
Tyres (car, truck and tractor)	Otaihanga Transfer Station Note: From September 2024, registered Tyrewise partners will accept up to five tyres for free when they replace those tyres.	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
Gas bottles	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
Child car seats	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
Waste oil	Otaihanga Transfer Station	See Rubbish disposal charges for the fee.
Paint	Recycle: Ask your retailer if you can return your paint and paint containers. They will often take back containers and paint from their own brand for free and other brands for a small fee of $0.25 per litre. Resene PaintWise Dulux Take Back Service Disposal options: Never pour unwanted paint down household or stormwater drains. Recycle part tins and packaging back through the supplier wherever possible (see options above). Unwanted water-based paints can be treated with Waste Paint Hardener or similar. This product turns the liquid paint into a solid mass, which can then be disposed of responsibly in the refuse. Pails, once emptied, can be recycled. Do not rinse pails into stormwater drains. Unwanted solvent-based paints can be disposed of by pouring the excess onto an absorbent material such as kitty litter, sawdust or shavings, cardboard or shredded paper. Allow to dry before disposing of in the rubbish. The can, once emptied and dry, can be placed in household recycling bins (leave the lid off).
Wood	A wood recycling centre run by Zero Waste Ōtaki is open for drop off and sales at 1 Riverbank Road next to the Ōtaki Resource Recovery Centre: 9.30–10.30am every Wednesday 9.30am–12pm on the last Sunday of every month Drop-off and purchase of wood suitable for house or garden projects, up-cycling or firewood is available – no MDF or particle board is accepted. Other times and bulk drop offs/purchases are by arrangement, email Zero Waste Ōtaki	No charge.

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Updated 13 June 2025