What we can & can't take
What we cannot take, and who in Kent can
The waste types our carrier registration does not cover — asbestos, clinical waste, chemicals, gas bottles and tyres — plus the correct compliant route for each.
- Written by Daniel Hartley, Operations Director & licensed waste carrier
- Reviewed by Priya Raman
- Updated 2026-07-15
Quick answer
What waste can't a rubbish removal company take?
An upper-tier waste carrier registration does not cover hazardous waste. We cannot take asbestos, clinical or sharps waste, gas cylinders, fuels, solvents, paint in bulk, or large quantities of tyres. Each of these requires a specialist licensed contractor and a consignment note rather than a transfer note.
Reviewed by Daniel Hartley, Operations Director & licensed waste carrier · Last updated 2 August 2026
Key takeaways
- Asbestos needs a licensed asbestos removal contractor, not a waste carrier
- Hazardous waste travels on consignment notes kept for three years
- Small quantities of household paint can often go to a Kent HWRC
- We will always point you to the right contractor rather than just decline
The excluded list
- Asbestos in any form, including corrugated garage roofing and Artex debris
- Clinical waste, sharps, and anything contaminated with bodily fluids
- Gas bottles, propane cylinders, fire extinguishers and aerosols in bulk
- Fuel, oil, solvents, pesticides and bulk chemicals
- Loose tyres in quantity
- Explosives, ammunition and flares
- Japanese knotweed and other controlled invasive plant material
Where each one should go
Asbestos: a licensed removal contractor surveys, removes under controlled conditions and consigns the waste to a permitted site. Never break it up yourself — that is where the risk is created.
Clinical waste: your GP surgery, pharmacy or district council's clinical collection service. Sharps bins are supplied and exchanged rather than binned.
Chemicals and fuels: Kent HWRCs accept limited household quantities of paint, oil and chemicals. Commercial volumes need a hazardous waste contractor and a consignment note.
Tyres: a tyre fitter or a permitted tyre recycler; small numbers are accepted at some Kent HWRCs.
Borderline cases worth calling about
Fully cured paint tins, a single empty gas canister, a small amount of garage floor debris that might be asbestos-containing — these come up constantly. Send a photo with the quote form before booking and we will tell you honestly whether it is in or out.
Discovering an excluded item on the day means we load everything else and leave that item, rather than aborting the job.
Related questions
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