Recycling centres frequently asked questions

The booking system helps to manage customer demand and facilitate a controlled and safe recycling centre (RC) operation.

Booking a slot enables residents to plan ahead to deposit their waste swiftly and easily. Many local authorities now operate a similar system, while others are actively considering implementing one based on the success in areas like Suffolk.

The booking system reduces congestion on sites on busy days, as well as reducing dangerous traffic queues and vehicle emissions from queuing cars at peak times and enabling the recycling centres to operate more efficiently.

The booking system allows customers to book available slots in real time and easily amend or cancel bookings.

In 2021 the most popular comment from customers was that the booking system should stay in place when social distancing requirements cease. In response to this feedback, the Council improved the booking system to allow customers to book available slots 7 days in advance and at the last minute on the day in real time and easily amend or cancel bookings.

Our last customer survey revealed that overall satisfaction with the Recycling Centre booking process is high. Across all visitors, 90% of respondents answered that they were satisfied or very satisfied overall.

75% of respondents stated that their trips were more carbon efficient either because they can now plan and combine their journey, or because they make fewer but larger visits to the recycling centres.

We keep the system under review to maximise best use for the majority of customers.

Yes, all sites accept garden waste.

You can also subscribe to a local council garden waste collection here.

If you would like to find out more about home composting or find out more about our subsidised home compost bin offers.

You:

• can amend or cancel your booking up to 1 hour before your allocated booking time. Use the link on your booking confirmation email or visit the 'Modify booking' webpage.

If you cannot get through online, email us at waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk, fill out the information required and we will check for you. We can only amend or cancel your booking up to one hour before your booked slot.

Staff can help members of the public to unload their vehicles or dispose of their waste when requested.

You can request additional support by emailing Waste.Management@suffolk.gov.uk at least 2 days before your booking. (When emailing please include details of your booking, so we can let the site staff know you are coming.) You can also ask site staff for assistance when you arrive on site.

Please make sure that any waste you bring to site is of a manageable size and weight for staff to handle.

If you have any further questions on how to proceed to use the recycling centre, please contact us at the Waste Management email above.

Please note the mailbox isn't monitored during weekends or bank holidays.

Sites may have to close temporarily if a container needs to be emptied or compacted, and you may have to wait a little longer to access the site.

In extreme weather conditions or in unforeseen circumstances, sites may have to close for a longer period. In this case you may be re-directed to another site or be advised to rebook your appointment for another time. Please check @SuffolkRC on Twitter or Facebook for up to date information regarding site closures. 

No.

When you book you will enter the registration number of your vehicle. This will be your ID when you visit site, so you must come in the vehicle you registered.

Pedestrian visitors and cyclists will also have to use booking system and the booking will be in your name.

Booking slots are released on a 7 day rolling daily basis.

You can book on the day of your visit in near real time if there is availability.

Cancelled appointments may also be made available at the last minute to other customers.

If you're unable to book a time slot online, please do not phone Customer Service to see if additional slots are available. The only time slots available will be shown on the public booking system.

Yes – as long as they have pre-booked through the online booking system.

Visitors bringing their own household waste to sites can make multiple bookings per week.

Trade customers/ vehicles are restricted to two appointments per 7-day period. We reserve the right to cancel any multiple bookings by trade customers/ vehicles made in a 7-day period. 

Please do not come to site more that 5 minutes before your time slot. This will help to reduce congestion on the highways.

Cars, cars with small trailers, and car derived vans should unload within ten minutes if possible. Your booked 15 minute slot will allow for time to enter and exit the site.

Vans, cars with large trailers and all trade waste customers should unload within 25 mins. Your booked 30 minute slot will allow for time to enter and exit the site.

The maximum vehicle size permitted at all Recycling Centres is 3.5 tonnes. There is a 3 metre height limit at Lowestoft Recycling Centre.

Cars with large trailers (over 750kg or double axle) are allowed at all sites.

Vans with small trailers (<750kg or single axle) have access to 30 minute appointments at 9 of Suffolk's recycling centres. Vans with small trailers are not accepted at Leiston recycling centres.

Vans with large trailers (>750kg or double axle ) are not allowed to book at any site, due to the time it takes for these vehicles to unload.

We will be keeping the system under review to maximise best use for the majority of customers.

A vehicle that has rear seats and back windows and whose prime purpose is to carry passengers, is classed as a car. This includes camper vans and twin pick-ups, but does not include car derived vans.

All other vehicles are classed as vans and/or commercial vehicles. e.g. a single cab pick-up is classed as a van/commercial vehicle. 

Car derived vans can book a slot at any site.

Car derived vans are constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and have a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes.

Very few vans meet the criteria for a car-derived van. Those that do are likely to be similar to a Ford Fiesta , Vauxhall Corsa or Renault Clio

For a full definition of a car -derived van see guidance on car-derived vans and dual purpose vehicles.

Vans with large trailers (>750kg or braked) are not allowed to book at any site, due to the time it takes for these vehicles to unload.

At 9 Recycling Centres vans with small trailers (<750kg or unbraked) can book 30 minute appointments. Vans with small trailers are not accepted at Leiston or Haverhill Recycling Centres.

The system will be reviewed to consider the impact on the site and other users.

All sites accept trade waste. You will need to declare that you are bringing trade waste to site when you make a booking and declare your trade waste to staff when your arrive on site. 

Please be aware that it is an offence under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to deposit and transport trade/ business waste at Recycling Centres, without registering with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier and paying for disposal.

To get a more cost-effective price you should separate your waste for recycling before going to site (e.g. into garden waste, wood, electricals etc).

For our trade waste prices and information please visit our Trade Waste webpage.

If you are bringing chargeable household DIY waste to site, please let site staff know when you arrive and they will assess how much you have to pay. Contactless card payment only.

Plasterboard is only accepted at 4 Recycling Centres; Bury, Foxhall, Lowestoft and Stowmarket

Details of charges can be found on our Recycling Centre charges page.

See our Recycling Centre page for opening time information.

See full list of materials accepted on our Recycling Centre charges page.

Please pre-sort your waste before you visit. 

You can donate items for re-use at all of Suffolk’s recycling centres in the orange re-use containers on site to support local charities.

All re-use items from sites are sold through the two Re-use Shops at Bury St Edmunds and Foxhall Recycling Centres. The shops raise funds for The Benjamin Foundation, who work with young people and families in need of support across Suffolk. You can visit the shops to donate or buy without a booking, but you will not be able to enter the recycling centre.

They accept a range of items for re-use: TVs, monitors, PCs, Sky boxes, DVD players, consoles, laptops, audio equipment , power tools, bikes, Dysons, Henrys, mowers, strimmers, small furniture, books and toys as well as other good quality items. 

Charities and schools wishing to visit the recycling centre, should visit the charities and schools webpage for further information. 

Compost is available for sale on all sites for £3.00 per 25 litre bag. You must have a booking in order to visit any of Suffolk’s Recycling Centres, even if you are only purchasing compost.

Please let site staff know on arrival and contactless card payment will be available at the kiosk.

Following a successful test of the entry gate at Bury St Edmunds Recycling Centre, gates are now being rolled out to some other sites where we believe the technology will be useful.

The entry gates automatically open when the number plate of a vehicle with valid booking is detected. This technology allows staff to concentrate on operating the site instead of checking-in all vehicles at the gate.

The gate will not open if you have not made a booking so it is essential that customers enter or update their booking with the correct vehicle registration before arriving at site, to avoid any delays at the gate. It is now possible to make bookings in near to real time on the same day where there is space available, and up to 7 days in advance.

Staff are still available to offer assistance. There is a button on the entry gate for customers to press for assistance if required.

Staff already use vehicle registration numbers to check whether customers have valid bookings. The entry gate seeks to make best use of the number plate recognition technology which is already in place at all Suffolk Recycling Centres as part of our contract with FCC Environment who operate the sites on behalf of Suffolk County Council.

Some years ago, plastic film was collected for recycling at Suffolk Recycling Centres. However, we were forced to stop collecting in 2018 as re-processors were no longer willing to accept the material with no demand for this low-quality type of plastic.

Supermarkets have significant volumes of soft plastic mainly from the back end of the store, therefore adding consumers plastic bags is more worthwhile to do compared with running a separate collection by local authorities.

Clearly there is a need for many products to come packaged in soft plastic, especially food, however we do encourage consumers to buy loose where they can and avoid packaging where appropriate.

New legislation will hopefully boost the recycling market for soft plastics which comes into force in 2027, this should see widespread collections from households across the country.

During November 2024 we are phasing in the segregation of upholstered furniture at recycling centres. By December 1^st 2024, all recycling centres will have a separate upholstered furniture container, which means you will need to put upholstered items such as sofas, cushions and recliners into a separate container. These items, that are unsuitable for re-use, will still go to the Suffolk Energy from Waste, but due to new legislation, this type of waste cannot be transported with the general rubbish. For more information about this change please visit the .Gov website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-waste-upholstered-domestic-seating-containing-pops