London Rubbish Tip

3. DIY waste - does it cost extra to dispose of DIY and building waste at a London tip?

Generally, DIY waste is more expensive for the council to dispose of and as a result, some councils charge residents to remove this type of waste. In London, five local authorities state on their website that they charge extra for DIY waste.  These tips are Acton, Greenford, Space Waye, Waldo Road and Churchfield Road.

• Greenford and Acton charge £23 per 100kg of waste.
• The staff on-site at Hounslow’s Space Waye recycling centre decide if your DIY waste is chargeable.  If you have high volumes of DIY waste, you will be charged for disposal at the full trade waste rate.  A full price guide.
• Currently, the minimum charge for disposing of DIY waste at Waldo Road and Churchfield is £23 and residents will be charged the same rate as trade or commercial waste.  A full price list for DIY/construction waste charges.
• Western Road Reuse and Recycling Centre do not accept any DIY waste at all.

For more help on disposing of DIY/construction waste, check out our guide to rubble removal.

4. Frequency – how often can I go to the dump?

The majority of London rubbish tips have no limit on how often you visit.  There are however two exceptions - Greenwich HWRC only allows one visit per month and Factory Lane in Croydon limits you to one visit per day.

5. Vehicle restrictions – are there restrictions on the type of vehicle that can enter?

It’s important to check what vehicle restrictions are in place at your local London tip. Some sites have height restrictions in place for residents to dispose of household waste. For example, Greenford recycling centre in Ealing only allows vehicles below 1.8m/5’11 through the non-commercial entrance and anyone using a hire van must provide documents of hire and identification/proof of address before they can tip free of charge.

6. Opening hours – when can I visit?

Here is a table showing the opening hours of each London waste recycling centre:

7. Booking - do I need to book in advance?

The majority of London councils do not require you to book in advance to visit the dump, however, some do.  Out of the 36 London rubbish tips, 10 require you to book a slot in advance.  They are the following London recycling centres:

• Barnet Civic Amenity Site
• Enfield, Barrowell Green Civic Amenity Site
• Bracknell Household Waste Recycling Centre
• Kingston Household Reuse and Recycling Centre
• Lambeth Household Recycling Centre
• Sutton Reuse and Recycling Centre
• Haringey, Western Road Reuse and Recycling Centre
• Islington, Hornsey Street Reuse and Recycling Centre
• Waltham Forest Reuse and Recycling Centre
• Merton Recycling and Reuse Centre

8. Quietest time – when is the best time to go?

Some HWRCs have started to introduce a booking system to reduce queues but generally, the quietest time to visit a civic amenity site is early morning/late afternoon on a weekday.  Weekends are usually the most hectic, so unless you have time to kill and don’t mind sitting in queues – avoid!

9. Identification - do I need to bring ID to a London tip?

It’s important to know if your local household recycling centre needs you to bring proof of identification otherwise you may be turned away if you don’t have it.  Seven London rubbish tips require some form of identification, these are:

• Lewisham Reuse and Recycling Centre – Proof of address
• New Years Green Lane – Hillingdon First card or a driving license and a household bill
• Southward Household Reuse and Recycling Centre – Driving license and tax bill/utility bill/bank statement
• Townmead Road Reuse and Recycling Centre – Richmond card or residents parking permit
• Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre – Council tax bill or driving license
• Fishers Farm Household Reuse and Recycling Centre – Driving license or parking permit
• Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycling Centre – Proof of address e.g. council tax bill or driver's license

10. Waste types – what am I allowed to dispose of at a London tip?

Each HWRC has their own list of waste they can and can’t accept.  You can find a list of permitted and prohibited items on their websites.  For example, Merton Recycling and Reuse centre state on they only accept household general waste, garden waste, small electrical items and small bulky waste items.

11. Alternatives to the recycling centre and civic amenity site in London

If using a civic amenity site isn’t the right option for you, there are alternative ways to dispose of your bulky waste in London. You could use a council bulky waste collection service, donate any items to charities in London or to individuals online (see our Freecycle London guide), or hire a private waste contractor - see our rubbish removal prices comparison tool.

Thanks for reading!

If you have a lot of junk to clear and still aren't sure where to start, why not try our How to dispose of rubbish guide?