Suffolk's Recycling Centres are open during national lockdown. Re-use shops on site are closed.
Current Government advice is to stay at home and not leave your home, except where necessary. You may leave your home to visit a Recycling Centre if you consider this to be a necessary journey.
Book a time slot a Recycling Centre time slot
A booking system is in place (since the re-opening of Recycling Centres following the first lockdown in 2020).
The booking system:
- reduces the waiting times of visitors to each Recycling Centre
- helps manage traffic to avoid a dangerous build-up of vehicles on the roads
- allows site users to plan ahead and visit at an agreed time without having to queue
- helps to manage numbers of visitors to allow for social distancing on site
Please do not come to a Recycling Centre without a booking.
You must not visit a Recycling Centre if you or anyone in your household or support bubble:
- has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days
- has COVID-19 symptoms
- if you're shielding or at greatest risk from COVID-19
Follow Government COVID-19 advice on travel.
How booking a time slot works
You can book a time slot up to 7 days in advance.
To book a slot you will need to:
- provide an email address
- tell us whether you are bringing waste from your own household or from a business
- the make and registration number and which sort of the vehicle you're arriving in
- if you're a pedestrian or cyclist
Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes before the start of your scheduled time slot.
We will try to ensure you enter the site at your designated time, however, please be aware some sites are required to close temporarily to empty containers.
You can only make one booking for any Suffolk Recycling Centre per household or vehicle in a 7 day period.
This is to allow as many visitors to sites as possible, whilst maintaining social distancing and protecting the health and safety of site staff and users. We reserve the right to cancel any multiple bookings made in a 7 day period.
Check opening times for Suffolk Recycling Centres at suffolkrecycling.org.uk
What are the rules at Recycling Centres?
You must:
- arrive in the vehicle you registered when booking (if driving)
- wash your hands before and after your visit (and wear gloves if possible)
- stay in the car until parked (including passengers)
- unload the car yourself as staff cannot assist you (only one adult should unload the vehicle, unless two adults are needed for heavy items)
- ensure any COVID-19 waste is left at home for 72 hours (3 days) before double-bagging and bringing to site
- follow social distancing rules to protect the health of staff and visitors
Before you book
Please be aware that until further notice:
- only pre-booked vehicles are permitted on site
- vans, cars with trailers and business waste are now accepted at all sites except Haverhill
- vans with trailers will not be allowed on any site
Trailers must be no more than 750kg max gross weight, single axle and unbraked. No other trailer size or type is permitted.
How to book
There are two different booking systems. Please select the one that applies to you.
If you do not receive a confirmation email confirming the date and time you have booked within 1 hour, please check your spam/ junk folder. If it is not there after checking, please do not make another booking. Email us at waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk and we will check it for you.
1. Cars, pedestrians and cyclists
You can book a 15-minute slot to deposit household waste using a car or as a pedestrian or cyclist.
2. Vans, trailers and trade waste
You can book a 30-minute slot to deposit trade waste or household waste using a van (including car-derived vans), a trade car or a car with a trailer. (Vans with trailers will not be accepted on any site.)
Start by selecting the type of waste you will be bringing to site. If you have any queries, please read the Q&As below.
Appointment times refer to current British Summer Time. Please ignore references to UTC+0:00.
If you do not receive a booking confirmation email within 1 hour, please check your spam/ junk folder. If you still cannot find it, email us at waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk and we will check it for you. Do not make another booking.
How do we use and store your data?
Read Suffolk County Council's data protection policy.