Chelmsford Recycling Centre and Rubbish Tip

Access information

Cars and any light commercial vehicles (under 3.5 tonnes) are allowed on site (only with a booking). Site staff might check that what you've brought is household waste i.e. not commercial or business rubbish. 

You can access the site as a pedestrian or cyclist without a booking.

What can you bring to Chelmsford Recycling Centre?

A complete list of what you can bring to the tip provided it comes from your household:

• Books, cardboard, paper
• Mixed glass bottles and jars
• Car batteries and other household batteries
• Clothing, textiles, and shoes
• Cooking oil, engine oil
• Garden waste and Christmas trees
• General waste
• Lightbulbs and fluorescent tubes
• Paint
• Printer cartridges
• Scrap metal, cans
• Small electrical appliances e.g., mobile phones, kettles – make sure you remove sim cards and wipe personal details before tipping.
• Small amounts of construction waste – provided it came from your household and a DIY job you did yourself.
• Tyres (max 4)
• Mattresses
• Household/DIY furniture,
• Wood and timbre
• Large electrical appliances e.g., TVs, fridges and washing machines.
• EMPTY fire extinguishers – asks a member of staff where to leave these.

Chelmsford also accepts small amounts of household and garden chemicals, but they must be given to a staff member on site.

What can’t you bring to Chelmsford tip?

You cannot dispose of the following items:

• Asbestos – local asbestos collection service is available here.
• Commercial, business and trade waste is not accepted at any Essex recycling centre (find more information here if you are a wanting to dispose of commercial waste in Essex)
• Chemical Waste
• Clinical Waste – Chelmsford clinical waste collection service.
• Dead animals – this article has guidance on how to dispose of dead animals.
• Fireworks, ammunition, or any other explosive materials
• Fuel
• Gas cylinders
• Japanese knotweed – contact the Environment Agency for information on how to dispose of this invasive species.
• Within 28 days: more than one boot full (three wheelbarrow loads) of soil, plasterboard, drywall lining and other hardcore or gypsum-based products or one wheelbarrow load of tiles within 28 days.
• Within 6 months: more than three large ceramic items e.g., sinks, toilets, more than one wooden door, wooden window frame or uPVC, more than 3 wooden internal doors and more than one built-in kitchen component.

Trade and business waste

You cannot dispose of any waste generated from a business at Chelmsford tip. Council recycling centres are for household waste only. Find out more about business waste disposal in Essex here.

Reuse?

Unfortunately, there are no reuse or donation points at the Chelmsford site. If your items are in reusable condition, we encourage you to donate before throwing them away! The most popular items people look for second hand are furniture items like sofas, tables and chairs for example. Read more about how to donate furniture.

Other tips for your visit to Chelmsford Recycling Centre

Here is some advice provided by the site.

Queues and wait times

Sometimes queues can be a problem so the site advises that you try and sort your waste beforehand. For example, all cardboard together and all small electrical items in one place so you can be efficient when unloading. Staff may turn vans and trailers away at busy times. Occasionally, the site may close temporarily if it's too busy so avoid bank holidays and weekends where possible. This is when Chelmsford tip is busiest. You also shouldn't arrive or try to get in before opening at 9am. This blocks the staff from entering and slows down the whole day.

Extra info

• There are no public toilets on the site.
• Pets must always remain inside your vehicles – do not bring them if you are making a trip to the recycling centre as a pedestrian. Children must stay in vehicles or be closely looked after by an adult.
• Try to avoid bringing waste you can recycle or bin from your house.
• Items must be placed in the correct containers – if you are unsure about which container to use, ask a member of staff on site for guidance. Please do not take items out of the containers.

Recent reviews about Chelmsford Recycling Centre

The site has a 4.5 rating on Google. This is what people are saying about the recycling centre:

Recycling centre alternative?

Disposal may be free, but taking stuff to the tip requires a vehicle and time! If you don't have either of those, consider the council's bulky waste collection service or hiring a private man & van collector to pick stuff up. Find the best quotes from local, fully licensed waste removal businesses with the LoveJunk marketplace. Just tap below!