Waste collection reopen: When will household waste and recycling centres reopen?

As of this week, many councils have decided to reopen HWRCs during lockdown. Reports of fly-tipping, the act of illegal deposit of any waste onto land that does not have to accept it, have been on the up while these centres have been closed. So when will Household Waste and Recycling Centres reopen? And how do you know if your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre is open?

Are Household Waste and Recycling Centres reopening?

Household Waste and Recycling Centres are legally allowed to reopen as of Tuesday, May 5.

On this day, the government published online a letter to councils about re-opening waste services during lockdown.

The letter is from both Simon Clarke, the Local Government Minister, and Rebecca Pow, the Environment Minister.

The document states: “We know that you are working incredibly hard to balance the need to maintain services and keep your workers safe alongside your wider responsibilities for the health and wellbeing of your residents.

“We recognise councils are working tirelessly to keep rubbish and recycling collections open during this national emergency, while bin crews are also playing a vital role in keeping the country going.

“We know that councils have had to make difficult operational decisions based on their local needs and priorities, including deploying staff to maintain key kerbside collections.”

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Recycling: When will recycling centres reopen?

It added: “However, we welcome more recent news that some councils are now re-opening household waste recycling centres that have been closed.

“We urge others to follow suit where it is safe to do so while managing social distancing requirements in the most practicable way. “We would like to reassure you that waste and recycling centres are permitted by law to be open.

“It is reasonable for people to leave home to take their bulk rubbish to those centres where the material cannot be stored safely at home or disposed of through other legitimate routes.

“We have also been working closely with the Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP, and the chair of the National Police Chiefs’Council, Martin Hewitt, to ensure that re-opening these facilities can be managed by local authorities without diverting police resources.

“Household waste recycling centres play an essential role to the economy by providing the recycled materials that industry relies on to make new products as well as helping householders dispose of their waste and reducing the risk of fly-tipping.”

When will Household Waste and Recycling Centre reopen?

There is no set date for all HWRCs to reopen across the nation.

According the Gov.uk: “The government is not setting a date by which HWRCs should be open.

“We recognise that the opening of HWRCs will depend on local circumstances and resource availability.

“A “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate. The decision to open a HWRC remains with the relevant local authority.

“There are also legitimate reasons for some HWRCs to remain closed, safety being paramount including if insufficient staff are available to operate the site safely.”

Which Household Waste and Recycling Centres are open?
Since not all HWRCs are open, the government advises checking your council’s website before setting out to a HWRC.

Gov.uk says: “You should also check which materials the HWRC that you plan to visit is accepting.

“Not all HWRCs are accepting all the materials that they would have previously accepted.”

Find the list of all local councils in England and Wales, along with their websites and main social media links here.

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Should I go to a Household Waste and Recycling Centre during lockdown?

While visiting an open HWRC is legal and allowed, there are government guidelines about when you should and shouldn’t go.

Before you travel to a HWRC you should think about the following:
• If it is safe to do so, please store items at home.
• If you cannot store items at home, consider making use of retailer take-back services or making your old items available for immediate re-use via on-line platforms. Make sure you follow social distancing and related guidance and that it is safe for you to move the items in question.
• Check the Reuse Network website to see if there are options available for small businesses or charities in your area to mend or repurpose your furniture and appliances. This may also be a good opportunity to repair, repurpose or re-use items such as old furniture or clothes yourself which you would usually throw away.
• If none of these options are available to you, you could use a private registered waste collection company, although there will be a cost if you do this. Remember, you have a duty to make sure you know where your waste is going and to ensure that the person collecting your waste is registered. You can do this by checking the Environment Agency’s website.

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Councils have been asked to share a set of messages with residents, where they apply. They include:

Journeys to HWRCs must only be undertaken if your waste or recycling cannot be stored at home safely or disposed of safely by other means. By this we mean the waste cannot be stored without causing risk of injury, health or harm. No other reason for the journey would be considered a legitimate purpose. If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.
Please check whether council collections of garden, bulky, or other wastes are available before travelling to a HWRC. If available, you should make use of council collection services rather than travelling to a HWRC.
Do not assume that all HWRCs are open.
Please check the council’s website before setting out to a HWRC. You should also check which materials the HWRC that you plan to visit is accepting. Not all HWRCs are accepting all the materials that they would have previously accepted.
Please be patient. Remember that going to HWRCs will be different from the way the system operated before lockdown, and that it will be a while before social distancing restrictions are lifted. You may have to queue before you are allowed entry into a HWRC. This is because there will be limits on the numbers of people that can be in the HWRC at any one time. Also remember that there are limited parking spaces at most HWRCs.
You should not visit the HWRC if you are unwell, as you should be following the 7-day self-isolation guidance, or if a member of your household is unwell and you should be following the 14 day stay at home guidance.

Visitors to HWRCs must always observe social distancing. If you do not comply with social distancing guidance, you will be asked to leave the HWRC and the site may have to close temporarily.
HWRC staff will not be able to assist with carrying items.
If you do travel to a HWRC, please remember to stay in your vehicle while queuing to aid with social distancing. Please do not leave your vehicle until it is necessary to get out.
Please do not put things in your rubbish bin that you would normally recycle or take to the tip. Most household collection services are continuing as normal, so there is no reason to put things in your rubbish bin that you would normally put in the recycle bin. If there is currently no service in your area to recycle electrical appliances and garden waste, please hold on to them until services resume. You can check your council website for updates.
You must not dispose of household waste in a way that could harm people’s health. This includes burning it – burning household waste is an offence, liable to prosecution. Please make sure that you make full use of your local authority’s waste collection services and follow local advice. Don’t fly-tip or dump waste it’s a crime.
Leaving items on the street or in parks, woodlands and fields is fly-tipping. This is a crime, and local authorities and the Environment Agency have a range of powers to tackle it including fixed penalties of up to £400, or prosecution. Even if you mean well, leaving items outside charity shops, or next to full recycling bins, is still fly-tipping. You can report fly-tipping to your local authority via www.gov.uk/report-flytipping and find out more information at www.tacklingflytipping.com/
On your return from the HWRC please remember not to touch your face and to wash your hands for 20 seconds on arrival at your destination.

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