Changes to our Recycling and Waste Parks (from 1st April 2022)
From the 1st April 2022, Denbighshire residents will notice some changes to our Recycling and Waste parks.
Our three main sites in Denbigh, Ruthin and Rhyl will be managed by Bryson Recycling. We have entered into a new joint contract with Conwy Council with this experienced Company, who will help us to reach our future recycling targets and increase the amount of waste sent for reuse.
Visitors will notice other benefits on our sites, including:
- new signage
- earlier opening times
- improved access
- wider range of items accepted at our Ruthin and Denbigh sites
- free compost
- use of the two Conwy Recycling and Waste Parks located at Abergele and Mochdre if this is closer to your home, or you pass it when travelling to work or to visit friends and family
- Rhyl Re-use charity shop will be open 7 days a week from May 2022. No booking is required to visit the Shop. The Re-Use Shop is currently closed to allow for stocking.
DIY and construction waste from works or improvements at your home is classified as industrial waste, not household waste (waste created in the day to day running of your household). Council tax only covers the cost of collecting, recycling and disposing of household waste.
The Council is not required to accept DIY and construction materials for disposal. However, we understand that residents do sometimes create this type of waste and therefore accept it at our Household Recycling Centres, with a small charge, to cover the costs of handling and disposal. The charges are not designed to make a profit and have been kept as low as possible for everyone.
Waste and recycling charges (DIY waste)
This change has been introduced to enable us to reduce the overall cost of providing the Recycling Park Service. This helps the Council to manage a balanced budget and continue to support our priority services for the people of Denbighshire.
Introducing small charges such as these also helps eliminate the temptation for businesses to deposit waste illegally at our sites. Despite have strict controls in place to prevent this, we know that some waste from commercial activity sometimes makes it's way onto our sites.
I have commercial waste that I wasn't allowed to take to a Recycling and Waste Park
If you have small recyclable items or waste material from the day-to-day running of your business (for example, bags of cans, glass, paper or plastic) then the law says you must use a licenced trade waste carrier.
You will need to keep proof of your consignments (known as a Controlled Waste Transfer Note) on your premises at all times. You should be able to produce these on request for Council or Natural Resources Wales officers.
The Council offers a commercial waste collection service to Denbighshire based businesses for general waste and recycling.
More information can be found on our Trade Waste pages.
I've been turned away from a Recycling and Waste Park because I have too much of one type of waste.
The Household Recycling Centres/Recycling and Waste Parks operate under a 'fair usage' policy.
If you have an exceedingly large quantity of the same thing (for example if you collect items as a hobby and then wish to get rid of boxes of the same item) our site staff may not allow you to leave all your waste in one go. This is to allow others a fair chance to use the sites until the containers can be emptied.
If this happens to you, you can take smaller quantities of your items to all sites. If you need to dispose of all of your items at the same time, you may need to hire a specialist (private) waste removal company.
Household Recycling Centre policy
I have another type of waste that is not accepted at a Recycling and Waste Park / Household Recycling Centre
The Council tries to accept as many types of waste as possible from residents, but there are some items which we cannot accept for legal reasons or Health and Safety concerns.
Almost all the waste an average household produces in the course of day-to-day living can be taken to a Household Recycling Centre. But there are some items that the Council cannot accept, either because we are not equipped to deal with them or because it would be unlawful for us to accept them.
These items will not be accepted at Household Recycling Centres under any circumstances:
Items not accepted at Household Recycling Centres
| Item |
Additional information |
| Infectious clinical waste (such as sharps,dressings or colostomy bags) |
Speak to your local GP, pharmacy or community nurse for help with disposing of infectious clinical waste |
| Petrol and diesel |
You will need to contact a local fuel disposal specialist to dispose of petrol or diesel |
| Ammunition |
You can surrender ammunition at your local police station, through a registered firearms dealer or to another authorised firearm certificate holder.
You must not dispose of it yourself. |
| Fireworks and marine flares |
Where possible, follow the manufacturer’s guidance for disposal.
Used fireworks only can be thoroughly soaked in water, bagged and
placed in your refuse bin. It is illegal to dispose of unused fireworks or flares in this way. |
| Explosive materials |
See the guidance above on fireworks and ammunition. |
| Medicine |
Medicines and associated products should be disposed of at your local GP surgery or pharmacy |
| Animal carcasses |
We do not accept domestic pets or wildlife carcasses at the Household Recycling Centres. Contact your nearest veterinary surgery for advice. |
| Invasive plant species |
Includes: Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogweed, Common Ragwort. See guidance from Natural Resources Wales for dealing with invasive weeds (external website). |
| Commercial Fridges/Freezers |
If you have a large commercial-type fridge/freezer you will need to contact a specialist company to remove it. |
What items must I pay to dispose of at Household Recycling Centres?
You can recycle most items free of charge at Recycling and Waste Parks / Household Recycling Centres, but you must pay to dispose of some items. You can take these items to Recycling and Waste Parks / Household Recycling Centres for a small charge.
All charges are valid for the current financial year.
A bag is equivalent to a standard small, plastic sand or aggregate bag from DIY stores, that can be safely lifted by one person. A part-filled bag counts as one bag.
A trailer load is based on a 1.8m x 1.25m x 0.5m trailer.
Un-bagged or loose waste will be charged at the bag rate, based on 30kg per bag for rubble, and 20kg per bag for wood. For example, a 40kg load of wood will be charged as two bags.
Why are there charges for this waste?
DIY and construction waste from works or improvements at your home is classified as industrial waste, not household waste (waste created in the day to day running of your household). Council tax only covers the cost of collecting, recycling and disposing of household waste.
The Council is not required to accept DIY and construction materials for disposal. However, we understand that residents do sometimes create this type of waste and therefore accept it at our Household Recycling Centres, with a small charge, to cover the costs of handling and disposal. The charges are not designed to make a profit and have been kept as low as possible for everyone. If you have large quantities of chargeable material you are advised to seek quotes from a licenced skip operator, as this could work out cheaper and more convenient for you. Please make sure that anyone taking your waste away is a registered waste carrier and you keep a receipt for your transaction. You have a legal duty to ensure your waste is disposed of responsibly.
You can check to see if a business is a registered waste carrier by visiting the Natural Resources Wales website (external website).
How do I pay?
For site security reasons, all Denbighshire sites are cashless. You will be required to pay by credit or debit card upon arrival where you will be directed to a payment bay. An attendant will examine (and if needed weigh) your chargeable waste and take payment via a mobile payments machine. You may request a receipt for your transaction.
If you cannot pay, we will ask you to leave the site with your DIY waste and return with payment. You will have to book another slot to return at a later time. You will be able to dispose of any other household waste you have brought with you free of charge.
Our site staff reserve the right to refuse entry if you are:
- trying to deposit excessive amounts of accepted waste (free of charge or otherwise)
- suspected of disposing of business waste
- abusing site rules