---
title: "Where do Old petrol and diesel go? Hazardous waste collection"
description: "Hazardous waste collection. Stale fuel is still fully flammable. Why that route, what goes wrong on the wrong one, and how to prepare it."
url: https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/petrol/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Where do Old petrol and diesel go?

**Where do Old petrol and diesel go?: Hazardous waste collection. Stale fuel is still fully flammable.**

Hazardous waste collection

Petrol that will no longer start a mower has lost its light fractions and its octane, not its ability to burn — the vapour is heavier than air, spreads along the ground and finds pilot lights. Household waste centres often accept small quantities of fuel, though not all do, and some require it in an approved container. Do not tip it into a car unless you are prepared to dilute heavily with fresh fuel and accept the risk to the engine. Never store it in a drinks bottle or an unvented container. Acceptance of fuel is a local decision and one of the least consistent items on this list.

## How to prepare it

1. Keep it in a proper fuel can with the cap tight.
2. Ring the site first — acceptance of fuel varies more than almost anything else on this list.

## What not to do

- Never pour fuel down a drain, on a bonfire or onto the ground.
- Never store petrol in a plastic drinks bottle; it degrades the plastic and the label is a poisoning risk.

> 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](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/paint-thinner/) — Hazardous waste collection. Flammable, and lethal to a septic tank or a river.
- [Pesticides, weedkiller and insecticide](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/pesticides/) — Hazardous waste collection, in the original container with the label intact.
- [Asbestos](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/asbestos/) — 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.
- [Bleach, drain cleaner and household chemicals](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/household-cleaners/) — Use them up as directed if you can. Anything left over goes to hazardous waste, in its own container.
- [Mercury thermometers and thermostats](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/mercury-thermometers/) — Hazardous waste. Never in a bin, and never vacuum a spill.
- [Antifreeze and screenwash](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/antifreeze/) — Hazardous waste. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet and kills cats, dogs and children.
- [Fertiliser, lawn feed and pool chemicals](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/garden-chemicals/) — Hazardous waste. Oxidisers and concentrated fertiliser are reactive, not just polluting.

## Common questions

### Where do Old petrol and diesel go?

Hazardous waste collection. Stale fuel is still fully flammable.

### What happens if you put Old petrol and diesel in the wrong bin?

Never pour fuel down a drain, on a bonfire or onto the ground. Never store petrol in a plastic drinks bottle; it degrades the plastic and the label is a poisoning risk.

## Related pages

- [Where do Paint thinner, white spirit and turpentine go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/paint-thinner/)
- [Where do Pesticides, weedkiller and insecticide go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/pesticides/)
- [Where do Asbestos go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/asbestos/)
- [Where do Bleach, drain cleaner and household chemicals go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/household-cleaners/)
- [Where do Mercury thermometers and thermostats go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/mercury-thermometers/)
- [Where do Antifreeze and screenwash go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/antifreeze/)
- [Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/batteries/)
- [Where do Lithium-ion batteries go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/lithium-batteries/)
- [Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/vapes/)
- [Where do Medicines and tablets go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/medicines/)
- [Where do Pizza boxes go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/pizza-boxes/)
- [Where do Leftover wet paint go?](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/paint-wet/)

## Sources

- US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (https://www.epa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]