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Charity and schools waste

Find out if your charity, school or community group is eligible for free disposal at Suffolk Recycling Centres or waste transfer stations.

Site staff may reject your waste at the recycling centre or transfer station if you do not follow the advice below.

You must register as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency before you transport your waste.

Recycling Centres

Registered charities and schools can book an appointment to visit their nearest Suffolk Recycling Centre using the online booking form and selecting the “Trade waste” option.

Community groups not registered as a charity may contact waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk to see if we can help arrange a one-off visit to the Recycling Centre.

Only recyclable items are accepted for free. Non-recyclable waste at Recycling Centres will be charged at usual trade waste prices. Find a list of recyclable materials.

There are restrictions on electronic items, so you are only allowed to bring household quantities of electrical waste to the recycling centres for free. You can bring bigger quantities of electrical waste however standard recycling centre charges would apply.

Before you visit a recycling centre you must:

  • Have a valid waste carriers license.
  • Contact waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk to check capacity at the site if you are bringing large quantities of recycling
  • Complete a consignment note if you are bringing hazardous waste
  • Pre-sort waste into each recyclable category before arrival at site.
  • Bring evidence of waste source. For example, headed note paper or ID badge to show charitable status, or charity reference number letter.
  • Report to Recycling Centre staff upon arrival.

Transfer Stations

Registered charities can bring non-recyclable waste, which originated from a household (i.e. charity shop donations) or from a re-use activity to a transfer station for free disposal once per month. This excludes waste from a charity back office or any other operation, e.g. office chairs, office printer, food waste.

Please contact Suffolk County Council at waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk to discuss your requirements and find the nearest Waste Transfer Station location. 

For each visit to the transfer station, you will need to give 2 working days’ notice to process your request. Requests from new organisations may take longer to check charitable status and waste carriers license.

Before you visit a transfer station you must:

  • Have a valid waste carriers license.
  • Only bring waste originating from a household and not from charity operations.
  • Arrange the visit via waste.management@suffolk.gov.uk.
  • Bring residual (non-recyclable) waste only.
  • Bring evidence of waste source. For example, headed note paper or ID badge to show charitable status, or charity reference number letter.
  • Wear correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times while at the site including hi-vis jacket, steel toe cap shoes, hard hat. We also advise gloves, mask & hi vis trousers.
  • Maximum one visit per month.

For information on educational waste and recycling activities, please visit our Suffolk Schools Recycling website. 

Find out if you’re eligible to bring waste and recycling

Click on your type of charity, community group or school, to check if you are able to visit a recycling centre or a waste transfer station.