PROHIBITED AND
RESTRICTED ITEMS

Equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), such as transformers, must be depolluted and accompanied by a certificate of analysis proving it does not contain PCBs when brought to an EMR site.

For advice on how to dispose of contaminated PCB’s you can contact the EPA.

No item containing asbestos in any form will be accepted at our yards because of its harm to health. For information on how to dispose of asbestos, please visit Asbestos Laws and Regulations on the EPA website.

Items such as gas cylinders and aerosols pose a serious explosion risk and will not be accepted at any EMR site, unless they have come through an authorized route and have been safely depressurized, cleaned and purged. Purge certificates will need to be provided.

Please ensure that any loads you deliver into our yards have been checked in advance for the presence of any sealed containers or gas cylinders.

If you have sealed containers or gas cylinders to dispose of, you can return them to the original supplier free of charge or an authorized approved contractor.

We cannot accept material that is radioactive or contaminated with radioactive material because of the harm it could cause to the health of our employees, customers, suppliers, and the environment.

These items can be collected by specialist collection companies. For information on how to dispose of radioactive materials, please visit the Radioactive Waste information page on NRC.gov.

We do not accept chemicals on site. Containers displaying the hazard symbol or substances with hazardous properties (e.g. toxic, harmful, irritant, corrosive, highly flammable, etc.) will not be accepted on site unless emptied, cleaned, and all labels are removed, so providing no risk of harm to health. This includes fuels, solvents, paints, thinners and gases etc.

Lithium-Ion batteries found in cordless tools, laptops, mobile phones, and small waste electrical goods etc. can only be accepted on site if they are separately collected because of the risk of combustion.

To advice on the safe disposal of them please visit Used Lithium-Ion Batteries on the EPA website.

Equipment containing refrigerant liquids or gases, such as fridges and freezers, can only be received by authorized facilities. Many of our sites can accept these materials. Please click below to find out which of your local sites can help.

Find your local EMR

Medical waste and ‘sharps’ will not be accepted because of the biological risk they pose to our employees, in particular those on the picking lines. To dispose of these items please contact your local authority.

Non- metallic items such as tyres, plasterboard, wood, aggregates, and soil can cause significant damage to EMR’s equipment; causing delays in our service to you. Please ensure all non-metallic items are removed from your load before coming to site.

‘Live’ explosives of any kind will not be accepted due to their explosive potential and the impact this could have on our site and the local community. Any empty shell casings must be clean and kept separate from any other materials.

If you suspect any item may pose an explosion risk please call 911.

We cannot accept televisions or PC monitors of any type. Your municipal tip can often take these items, or, if they are in good working condition, consider donating then to goodwill.

There are some items that are accepted at EMR sites but that are subject to restrictions and quality conditions.

Batteries must be kept separate and removed from any other material brought into the yard.

Drums must be clean of all of their previous contents and free from contamination.

Tanks must be certified as clean and suitable for processing and can only be accepted with the agreement of the site manager. Find your local site here.