DEFRA recently announced that local authorities must no longer charge people for disposing of DIY waste at household recycling centres. We are waiting for clarification on this change before we can make it. In the meantime DIY charges will still apply at our centres.

We are working with Dorset Council to gather information on the use of Recycling Centres in our areas and better understand the travel patterns. We will record postcodes and the type of waste being brought into the sites by Dorset Council residents.

Address

Ringwood Road
Bournemouth
BH11 9LQ

Opening times

• April to September: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Sunday
• October to March: 9am to 4pm, Monday to Sunday.

Last entry is 15 minutes before closing time.

Who can use the recycling centre

You can use Bournemouth Recycling Centre if you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole.

You can also use Christchurch Recycling Centre and Poole Recycling Centre. Please check individual web pages for restrictions before travelling.

Please take some identification with you to prove you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole. You can use:

• current Council Tax bill
• photocard driving licence
• any utility bill that shows your name and address.

Some Dorset residents have access to BCP Council recycling centres, refer to the Dorset Council website for eligibility. Dorset Council residents may only bring cars to the site - vans are not allowed.

Van and trailer restrictions

Van and trailer restrictions apply at the recycling centre. If you are visiting with a trailer, it must be a maximum size of 6’ x 4’ (1.8m x 1.2m). Vans must have a valid permit or a hire agreement of a maximum of three days.

Vehicles that require a permit and are towing a trailer are not allowed to access our recycling centres.

Vehicles that are not allowed on site

The following vehicles are not allowed on site at all:

• vans over 3.5 tonnes
• vans towing trailers
• single-cab pick-ups towing trailers
• luton box vans
• flatbed vans
• tipper vehicles
• tractors
• horse boxes
• agricultural vehicles
• hire vans – over 3 days hire.

Pedestrian access

Pedestrians (on foot or on a bicycle) are allowed to bring waste to the site but must report at the security gate and provide the appropriate evidence of BCP Council residency. Pedestrians must follow the guidance of site staff at all times. Pedestrians cannot bring waste onto the site that they cannot carry themselves and must be no larger than a bin bag or rucksack. Pedestrian access is not allowed by residents driving to the site, parking outside the site and taking their waste in on foot.

What you can take to Bournemouth Recycling Centre

The following materials are recycled, composted, reused or recovered:

• garden waste, (invasive weeds such as Japanese knotweed or Hogwort must go in landfill)
• all kinds of metal items
• tyres
• household paints, garden pesticides and chemicals - must be clearly identifiable
• rubble/soil/glass
• car and household batteries
• cooking oil
• up to 10 litres of fuel/oil in their own containers (decanting may not be possible)
• light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
• gas bottles
• textiles such as clothes, shoes and handbags
• books
• excess recycling - paper, cardboard, cans, glass, plastic bottles and containers
• excess household rubbish
• maximum of two natural wood pallets per visit
• wood
• furniture - please see a member of staff on site if you are bringing upholstered seating, for example, sofas, armchairs or dining room chairs
• asbestos- must be double wrapped
• plasterboard
• bric-a-brac
• bikes
• electrical equipment (TVs, monitors, small electricals and electronics) - please delete your data where possible
• white goods - fridges and freezers (whole units only), washing machines etc
• hard plastics, for example toys and buckets
• mattresses.

There are charges for bringing certain materials to the recycling centre.

What you can't take

The following things can't be disposed of at Bournemouth Recycling Centre:

Things you can't dispose of at Poole Recycling Centre	What to do instead
Clinical Waste - waste containing human or animal bodily fluids (poo, urine, blood)	Put in your rubbish bin, dog bins, chemists or clinical waste contractors.
Hypodermic needles	Residents using medical sharps at home should place them into a sealed sharps box, obtained from a GP or pharmacy, which may be returned to a GP’s surgery once full for safe disposal. If you are unable to transport your sharps box to a surgery, you can arrange a medical sharps collection from us. Find a needle and syringe service here. Find a needle and syringe service here.
Ammunition	Take to your nearest Police Station or registered firearms dealer. Please contact Dorset Police on 101 for more information before you visit.
Flares	From 31 December 2022, HM Coastguard stopped offering a voluntary, public-facing flare disposal service to private individuals who have personal flares to dispose of. Private individuals will now need to use a third-party disposal service to dispose of their personal flares. Find out more on the GOV.UK website.
Car parts, interiors and bumpers	Should be taken to a local car scrap yard.
Caravan parts, dismantled caravans, boat and boat parts or motor bikes	Search online for a private scrap company who can arrange removal. Always use a licensed waste carrier to take your waste away.
Large demolition works or construction waste	Search online for a private company who can arrange removal. Always use a licensed waste carrier to take your waste away.
Red or blue pallets	Blue or red pallets cannot be disposed of at our HRCs. The dye used to colour the pallets is toxic which means they cannot be recycled. These pallets are usually collected and reused by the pallet company which supplies them.

We have not listed everything that can and cannot be accepted at our Household Recycling Centres. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us before travelling.

Commercial waste

Commercial waste can be accepted at Bournemouth Recycling Centre and Poole Recycling Centre.

Charity waste acceptance

Charities are not permitted to use the recycling centres. However, charities in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area can apply for a charity permit, subject to our terms and conditions, to dispose of donated household waste. Access is only allowed via the commercial weighbridges at Bournemouth and Poole Recycling Centres (no access is permitted at Christchurch Recycling Centre). To apply for a charity permit and once you’ve read our terms and conditions, please call our customer services team on 01202 123 123.

Tip Check app

Our Tip Check app tells you how busy the recycling centres are before you leave your home. A traffic light system indicates how busy our recycling centres are, whilst giving approximate traffic wait times. The app will also tell you the opening times for all of our recycling centres, along with general information about what you can dispose of at each of our sites.

• Download the Tip Check app on the App store
• Download the Tip Check app on Google Play.