The tip and recycling centre
Opening hours
- Monday 8am-6pm
- Tuesday 8am-6pm
- Wednesday 8am-6pm
- Thursday 8am-6pm
- Friday 8am-6pm
- Saturday 8am-6pm
-
Sunday 8am-6pm
The tip is open seven days a week apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. If you don't know what goes where please speak to a member of staff at the site.
See below for frequently asked questions about the tip.
Address
Mewburn Road, DL3 0RY
Frequently asked questions
Who can use the tip?
The tip is open to residents of the borough who are dropping off waste from their home and garden.
Commercial operators are not able to use the tip (this includes landlords getting rid of items from a rented property).
What is household waste?
Household waste is the stuff you would take with you if you moved house, such as furniture, cookers, rugs, furnishings, electrical items and toys.
Household waste can be left at the tip free of charge if you are bringing it in your car.
I am renovating my house - can I drop off old carpets and furniture?
As long as you use a car to drop the items off you can leave them at the tip. If the items are so big you need to use a commercial vehicle you will need to apply for a free permit.
Can I take gardening rubbish to the tip?
Yes, grass cuttings and gardening rubbish can be left at the tip.
Disposal of batteries
- Disposable vapes should be put in the small mixed WEEE container and not into the battery disposal bins.
- Batteries from drills, screwdrivers and other DIY equipment should be put into the small mixed WEEE container as a whole unit - do not remove the batteries from the main unit
- Batteries from laptops, mobile phones and other electrical equipment with fixed batteries should be put into the small mixed WEEE container as a whole unit - do not remove the batteries from the main unit
- There is a dedicated container for lead, acid and gel batteries.
- Watch a video to see why you should never put batteries in bins.
Please speak to a member of staff at the site if you are not sure what goes where.
What vehicles can access the tip?
Cars do not need a permit. Some commercial vehicles are allowed if they have a permit. Larger commercial vehicles cannot enter the tip.
Vehicle type | Permit required? |
---|---|
Cars | No permit required |
Any commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes | Permit required |
Car with trailer longer than 4ft but shorter than 6ft | Permit required |
Trailers over 6ft in length | Prohibited from the site |
Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes | Prohibited from the site |
Vehicles over 6ft in height | Prohibited from the site |
Please note, commercial vehicles include vans, pick-ups and mini buses, even if they have no commercial signage.
Can I access the site on foot?
The site does not have pedestrian access. There are large vehicles entering the site and it is too dangerous for pedestrians.
However, if you arrive on foot with a small amount of waste electrical equipment that is easy to carry, a member of staff will take it for you.
How can I dispose of items the tip does not accept?
You can still take these items to the tip but there will be a charge. Charges are available from staff at the tip on request. Other options are:
- Hire a skip or waste disposal bag service collection
- Take your waste to a licensed waste disposal company or arrange for a company to collect from you
- Reuse the waste where possible or advertise it on websites like Freecycle
- Social media pages have local sites where you can offer things for free such as unwanted rubble, top soil or wood
- Use our bulky waste collection service
DIY Waste
From 1 January 2024 we will accept some DIY waste free of charge at the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) under the following conditions:
- The DIY waste must be produced from a domestic property by the owner carrying out their own construction or demolition works.
- The DIY waste must be produced ‘by the occupier’ of a domestic property and NOT by a ‘commercial operator’ who is or going to receive payment to carry out the work in the property.
- The DIY waste is less than 100 litres and capable of being fitted into two 50 litre bags (2 Black bin sacs), or a single article of waste no larger than 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm in size.
- DIY waste is restricted to one visit to the HWRC per week.
Who needs a permit?
If you need to bring your household waste to the site in a commercial vehicle such as a rented van or trailer between 4-6 foot long you will need to apply for a free permit.
The reason we do this is to prevent businesses using the tip for commercial waste.
If the only vehicle you have is a van you use for business, you can still bring it to the tip, so long as you get a permit first. There are some restrictions on the days and times you are able to use your permit.
How do I apply for a permit?
Call us on 01325 405111 with details of what you are bringing to the site, when you want to visit and the make, model and registration number of your vehicle. A free permit will be produced which you can collect from the Town Hall.
To collect a permit you must bring your driving licence and proof of address, for example a council tax bill.
If someone else will be driving or collecting the permit form you, please tell us when you order the permit. Permits will only be given to the person who applied for the permit, or for the person named in the comments.
If someone else is collecting, they need to prove their ID and your proof of address.
Once you have your permit you can come to the tip in a commercial vehicle to leave your household waste. You will be asked to hand over your permit as you enter the site.
Please note: you only need a permit if you are using a commercial vehicle to drop off domestic household waste for free. You don’t need one if you are using your car.
You do not need a permit if the items you are taking are chargeable.
What items are acceptable on a tip permit?
Any items you would take with you if you were moving house can be taken to the tip. This includes things like furniture, cookers, rugs, furnishings, electrical items, clothes and toys. You can also take garden waste and grass cuttings.
Items you can’t take on a permit include:
- Tyres
- Paving slabs and roof tiles
- Brick rubble
- Ceramics (this includes tiles, sinks, baths and toilets)
- Household fittings
- Construction waste
- Plasterboard waste
- Soil and landscaping (general garden waste like grass clippings is okay)
- Bonded asbestos
Anything that is part of the construction or fixtures and fittings of your house cannot be included on your permit.
What happens when I arrive at the tip with a permit?
When you arrive your vehicle must be checked before you start to offload.
You will need to present your permit to tip staff.
Anyone using the site without a valid permit will be refused entry. Your vehicle registration, make and model must match the one on your permit - if they do not match you will be refused entry to the site.
When can I access the site using a permit?
Once you have your permit you can go to the tip on:
- Mondays 10am-2pm
- Wednesdays 10am-2pm
- Fridays 10am-2pm
- Saturdays 8am-12pm
Please note that tip permits can’t be used on public/bank holidays.
I have a tip permit for my commercial vehicle. Do I also need to book a time slot?
If you have a permit to bring household waste to the tip in a commercial vehicle (such as a rented van or trailer) you do not need to book a slot. See the permit FAQs for more information about getting and using a permit.
Drinkfield Waste Transfer Station
We understand that on occasion residents with permits use the transfer station located alongside the tip. You will now be required to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) and staff can loan you a high visibility waistcoat which must be worn when outside the vehicle. Please also remember, children MUST remain in the vehicle AT ALL TIMES.
Regular permit holders who use the transfer station may wish to purchase their own PPE for visits to the site. PPE is not required for the tip (HWRC).