Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC)
Household Waste Recycling Centres FAQs
Before travelling to a site, please check opening times and materials accepted.
1. What types of waste can I take to Household Waste Recycling Centres?
The following waste is accepted:
Bulky household items – such as sofas, mattresses, rolls of carpet and garden tools.
Cardboard please flatten all cardboard before arriving.
Engine oil (accepted at some sites, please check individual site details )
Garden waste
General household waste
Glass bottles and jars (accepted at most sites, please check individual site details)
Household Batteries
Large electrical items ( fridges, electric cookers, washing machines etc)
Light Bulbs including energy efficient bulbs and fluorescent tubes (accepted at some sites, please check individual site details)
Plasterboard (accepted at some sites, in cars only and limited to one visit per day, please check individual site details)
Scrap metal (accepted at some sites, please check individual site details)
Small electrical items ( toasters, kettles, hairdryers, gaming controls etc)
Soil and rubble (accepted at most sites in cars only and limited to one visit per day, please check individual site details)
Textiles (accepted at most sites, please check individual site details)
Wood (accepted at some sites, please check individual site details) such as household wooden furniture and domestic garden fencing. Doors and similar waste from small DIY activities are accepted in cars only and limited to one visit per day
Site staff are unable to assist with handling waste. Please only bring waste you can carry and empty into the containers.
Important information about personal waste
If anyone in your household has Coronavirus symptoms, please dispose of your personal waste following Government guidance, this includes:
nappies and sanitary products
tissues and used paper towels
wet wipes
Please put personal waste and disposable cleaning cloths into disposable rubbish bags and close securely. These bags should then be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. These bags then need to be stored for at least 72 hours before being taken to a HWRC
2. What vehicles are permitted at HWRC?
Cars and small non-commercial 4x4 vehicles.
Vans (under 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight) and trailers are permitted into the HWRC – There is a requirement to pre-book at many sites – please see details below in Q3
Adapted vehicles for disabled use
All other vehicles are not permitted
DIY waste cannot be taken to the HWRC in trailers or vans.
3. Do I need to book to come to the HWRC?
If you wish to bring your waste in a van under 3.5 tonnes ( maximum gross weight) and/or trailer, then you need to book a time slot if you wish to use any of the following sites.
DIY waste cannot be taken to the HWRC in trailers or vans.
Alness
Dingwall
Fort William
Inverness
Nairn
Portree
Tain
Thurso
Wick
4. Is it just vans and trailers that need to book?
Yes. Small vans under 3.5 tonnes (maximum gross weight) and/or trailers are the only vehicles that need to book. Cars, pick-ups under 3.5 tonnes (gross maximum weight) and all adapted vehicles for disabled use do not need to book.
5. How do I make a booking for my van or trailer?
Bookings are made on the Highland Council website.
Choose the HWRC you wish to visit. Click on the booking form and enter your name, address, vehicle type, registration and type of waste at least 48 hours in advance of visiting the site. Once the online booking is complete a confirmation text or email will be sent to you and must be shown to the Site Attendant upon arrival.
6. Can I choose a time slot to arrive?
When you book, you will be given a time slot (e.g. 10am – 1pm) to arrive on site. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your time slot is due to end, to ensure you have enough time to offload your items. Booking a slot does not give priority access – vans and trailers with a booking will need to join a queue with other site users at busy times in order to gain access
7. How often can I book a slot for my van and/or trailer?
Van and/or trailer owners can book one slot per 7-day period (Sunday - Saturday) to deposit their waste. This means only one visit to the HWRC during a 7-day period.
8. Can I bring a van and a trailer?
Yes, you are allowed to bring a van and trailer with the permitted materials providing there is sufficient capacity in the containers and that waiting times for other sites users are at manageable levels. The Site Attendant may inform householders with large loads to take their waste away and return at an alternative time.
DIY waste cannot be taken to the HWRC in trailers or vans.
9. I don't have access to the internet, how can I book a slot?
Please ask a relative or friend to book a slot for you.
10. If I have van and/or trailer and wish to use a HWRC with no booking system – what should I do?
Vans (under 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight) and trailers are permitted into the HWRC. Site staff will manage the facility to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the containers and that waiting times for other sites users are at manageable levels. The Site Attendant may inform householders with large loads to take their waste away and return at an alternative time. Please check the site opening times and materials accepted before you travel to the site.
DIY waste cannot be taken to the HWRC in trailers or vans.
11. I have been doing some DIY at home. Can I bring the waste?
Soil, rubble, plasterboard, kitchen units, bathroom suites, doors and similar waste from small scale DIY activities is only permitted in cars and is limited to one visit per day.
DIY waste cannot be taken to the HWRC in trailers or vans.
Construction and demolition waste generated by builders and associated trades is not permitted at the HWRC in any vehicle.
Alternatives for disposing of DIY type waste are as follows:
Check the list of items accepted and arrange a bulky waste collection from your home or call
Call
Contact a private waste management contractor (e.g. skip hire company or waste transfer facility) to manage your waste. The waste management contractor will charge for any services provided.
12. what are the HWRC opening times?
Please check the website for individual site opening times
Sites may need to close at short notice. For example, if it is no longer safe to keep them open, if containers are completely full or they are having an unacceptable impact on surrounding roads through queuing traffic.
13. When is the best time to visit?
Queues tend to build up at our larger sites whilst waiting for the sites to open each morning but reduce once the gates are opened. You may experience delays and queuing at any time – please be courteous to site staff and other road users should you be delayed when accessing the site.
Please do not arrive at the site early, to reduce impact on local roads and surrounding homes and businesses, especially as some nearby residents may be trying to get to work. Before sites open each day, we will be moving full skips and cannot do this if there is traffic congestion.
14. What should I expect when I visit?
Staff will be in place at the entrance to each site to speak with visitors and advise on waiting times and procedures on site. If a queue is too large, some vehicles may be turned away and asked to return later.
Site staff are unable to assist with handling waste. Please only bring waste you can carry and empty into the containers. Please respect direction from staff, they will be working hard in difficult circumstances to keep the site safe and ensure as many visitors as possible can dispose of their waste. Please treat our recycling centre staff with respect; aggression towards staff will not be tolerated.
Please do not bring children with you if possible. If you have no alternative, please ensure they always stay in the car
15. Can site staff help me unload my waste?
No, Staff will be able to direct you but cannot handle your waste in any way.
Please only bring waste that you can carry and empty into the containers.
16. Do I need to wear PPE to attend?
PPE (gloves, face masks etc) is a personal choice – there are no regulations requiring visitors to use it on site. However, we strongly advise washing your hands before and after you visit the HWRC.
17. Can I walk my waste into the site if there is a big queue or I live close-by?
No. The sites are very busy, and designed for vehicle-access, not pedestrian access and do not have dedicated pedestrian access, so are not safe to enter by foot.
Queue jumping by parking nearby and walking with waste will not be tolerated, as it is potentially dangerous and unfair to those that have waited.
18. Can I leave my waste at the entrance of the site?
Any waste left outside an HWRC, in the queue, at the roadside etc. will be treated as fly-tipping and subjected to the same investigation and potential fines and prosecution as any other fly-tipping.
19. Can I bring waste from my business or other commercial activity?
The HWRC do not accept waste from businesses or any other commercial activity, as the sites are for household waste only. We offer a business waste collection service across the region, please email business.waste@highland.gov.uk for further information.
We also have 8 Waste Transfer Stations (please see Q 20 for details) where business waste is accepted for a charge.
20. I am a business, how do I use the Waste Transfer Stations and pay for my waste disposal?
The following Waste Transfer Stations are open for business waste to be disposed of:
Aviemore
Brora
Gairloch
Lochinver
Portree
Seater
Tongue
Ullapool
All business waste disposal is for account customers only. To set up an account or to arrange a day and time to deliver your waste please email: business.waste@highland.gov.uk Charges apply to all business waste and are based on weight and type of materials or size of vehicle depositing the waste. When you arrive at the site please stay in your vehicle until the site attendant instructs you what to do.
Please regularly check our website for updates
PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER VISITING THE HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRES