How to manage waste disposal when renting a campervan

When you hire a campervan, it’s your responsibility to keep the campervan tidy until the end of your rental period. There are designated dump points all across Australia, but it’s also important to be aware of the general waste protocols for campervan rentals.

Campervanning, as fun as it sounds, comes with the burden of keeping your campervan or motorhome clean and free from spills. While planning which campervan parks you plan to stay at is obvious, a second consideration are dump sites — where the grey and black water waste in your campervan can be legally discharged. If you’re renting a campervan or motorhome in Australia, proper waste management ensures you comply with local council regulations and protect the natural environment. Read on to learn more about managing waste and how to find dump sites.

Where do I take our campervan waste?

Campervan parks usually have dump point facilities, but in case there’s no campervan park on your route, keep an eye out for public dump points. There are dump points across the country, often located along common campervan routes and are marked with a blue or brown road sign. You can also locate nearby dump site points using the CMCA’s app.

What are grey and black water and how do I manage waste in a campervan?

Grey water is wastewater that comes from any sinks and/or showers in the campervan, while black water is waste from the onboard toilet (if there is one). In campervans that have both sinks or showers and a toilet, the grey and black water are retained in separate on-board waste tanks that must be emptied at designated dump points. It’s important to dispose of waste legally to protect the environment, and failing to do so can result in substantial fines.

How frequently should I dispose of waste when renting a campervan?

Generally, you need to discharge your grey and black water tanks every couple of days. Even though black water is considered more hazardous than grey, there’s a chance grey can turn into black when left in the tank for too long.

Campervan and motorhome rental providers require customers to return their rental vehicles with tanks emptied, so you can’t put it off forever, and remember that the longer you keep waste in the campervan, whether they’re liquid or not, the greater the health risk for you and your companions.

Do campervan parks have waste management facilities?

Yes, most campervan parks have on-site dump points, and in the rare occasion where they don’t, they should be able to advise where the closest one is located. Remember, disposing of waste and discharging the grey and black water tanks in a legal manner is the campervan renter’s responsibility — that a campervan park did not have suitable facilities is not an excuse for discharging waste in an illegal manner.

Tips for waste management when renting a campervan

Renting campervans is a great way to practice sustainable travel. Reduce waste by choosing reusable containers, eco-friendly toiletries, and local produce from farmers’ markets.
Remember that you’re prohibited from smoking in a rental campervan or motorhome, so cigarette and vaping fumes and smoke stains inside the vehicle will attract cleaning fees. If you bring pets in the campervan, make sure the interiors are free from pet hair and other clutter before you return the vehicle.
Segregating recyclables and compartmentalising your rubbish is a great way to enure that the waste you need to dispose of is minimised.
Make sure all your waste bins are closed when in motion and sanitised as often as possible.

Do rental campervans have their own waste management system?

Yes, most campervans are equipped with grey water tanks underneath the vehicle and toilet cassettes to contain black water. There are trash bins designed for campervans or vehicles in motion to secure waste while driving, and these include leak-proof bags and/or wheelie bins. When you rent a campervan or motorhome, confirm its waste management features with your provider and always check for any additional fees or cleaning policies.

Do I need to clean the campervan before returning it?

Yes. At a minimum you’re expected to empty the grey and black water tanks at a designated site, remove any rubbish from the vehicle, and double check that any extras such as cutlery and plates are clean and in their correct place. If you return a campervan or motorhome without emptying tanks or cleaning the interior, you will be charged a cleaning fee — providers can charge anything from $100 to $300 for this service.

Are there cleaning charges?

There may be cleaning charges for rental campervans and motorhomes when you don’t return them in a reasonable state of cleanliness. Cleaning charges vary between campervan and motorhome hire providers and are subject to their assessment of the vehicle’s condition upon return, so please check the Terms and Conditions of your campervan or motorhome rental. For more information on fees and extras that may apply to your vehicle rental, visit our rental charges guide.

Important Information
How do I keep my rental campervan clean?
When you rent a campervan or motorhome, it’s important to practice waste management and stick to sustainable resources. Separate your trash from wastewater and know the difference between grey and black water. Discharge wastewater in appropriate dump points, and if you fail to do so you will be penalised for illegal waste disposal and causing harm to the environment.