I have heard that Qantas will never scrap an aircraft on home soil.
I don't know if that's their policy or not but, you can always contain the fluids
if the area is set up right. The mass balance weights are bolt on items so these
could easily be removed and disposed of correctly.
As for public relations I could see no reason why it could not be disassembled inside a hangar out of Joe Public's view.
I believe there are some issues with the sealants that are used between lap and butt joints when the aluminum goes
to the furnace but I would think there would some work arounds by now especially with the large amount of metal
processed out of the bone yards in the US.