What happens if you put Asbestos in the wrong bin?

Never break, cut, drill, sand or jet-wash asbestos — every one of those releases respirable fibres. Never sweep or vacuum debris with a domestic machine; it puts fibres into the air and the machine. Never put asbestos in a bin, a skip or a general waste load.

Where do Asbestos go?

Do not break it, do not drill it, do not sweep it. It needs a licensed route, and most household waste centres take it only by prior arrangement.

Hazardous waste collection

Asbestos is only dangerous when fibres become airborne, which is precisely what breaking, cutting, sanding or sweeping does — the fibres are respirable, they lodge in the lung, and the diseases they cause appear decades later. Intact asbestos cement — garage roofs, soffits, old rainwater goods — is stable until disturbed, and the correct action is often to leave it alone. Where it must go, many councils accept small quantities of bonded asbestos from householders by appointment, double-wrapped in heavy polythene and labelled, and anything friable or in quantity is a licensed contractor job. Never put it in a skip, a bin or a general builders load.

How to prepare it

Ring the council first — acceptance is by prior arrangement almost everywhere, and quantities are capped.
Double-wrap in heavy-gauge polythene, seal with tape and label it as asbestos.
Damp it down rather than sweeping, and use a disposable coverall and a proper P3 mask, not a dust mask.

What not to do

Never break, cut, drill, sand or jet-wash asbestos — every one of those releases respirable fibres.
Never sweep or vacuum debris with a domestic machine; it puts fibres into the air and the machine.
Never put asbestos in a bin, a skip or a general waste load.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to hazardous waste collection

Paint thinner, white spirit and turpentine Hazardous waste collection. Flammable, and lethal to a septic tank or a river.
Pesticides, weedkiller and insecticide Hazardous waste collection, in the original container with the label intact.
Old petrol and diesel Hazardous waste collection. Stale fuel is still fully flammable.
Bleach, drain cleaner and household chemicals Use them up as directed if you can. Anything left over goes to hazardous waste, in its own container.
Mercury thermometers and thermostats Hazardous waste. Never in a bin, and never vacuum a spill.
Antifreeze and screenwash Hazardous waste. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet and kills cats, dogs and children.
Fertiliser, lawn feed and pool chemicals Hazardous waste. Oxidisers and concentrated fertiliser are reactive, not just polluting.

Common questions

Where do Asbestos go?: Do not break it, do not drill it, do not sweep it. It needs a licensed route, and most household waste centres take it only by prior arrangement.
What happens if you put Asbestos in the wrong bin?: Never break, cut, drill, sand or jet-wash asbestos — every one of those releases respirable fibres. Never sweep or vacuum debris with a domestic machine; it puts fibres into the air and the machine. Never put asbestos in a bin, a skip or a general waste load.

Where do Paint thinner, white spirit and turpentine go? Hazardous waste collection. Flammable, and lethal to a septic tank or a river.
Where do Pesticides, weedkiller and insecticide go? Hazardous waste collection, in the original container with the label intact.
Where do Old petrol and diesel go? Hazardous waste collection. Stale fuel is still fully flammable.
Where do Bleach, drain cleaner and household chemicals go? Use them up as directed if you can. Anything left over goes to hazardous waste, in its own container.
Where do Mercury thermometers and thermostats go? Hazardous waste. Never in a bin, and never vacuum a spill.
Where do Antifreeze and screenwash go? Hazardous waste. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet and kills cats, dogs and children.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste recycling centre

Sources

US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked