Council’s safety advice if you’re planning a visit to a Household Waste and Recycling Centre this half term

Cheshire West and Chester Council is urging residents to keep themselves and their children safe if they are planning a visit to Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) this half term.

There can be potential hazards on the sites and the Council is keen to keep everyone safe by sharing the following advice:

Sort before your visit - Pre-sorting items at home can help save time and provide a quicker and more efficient visit.

Avoid slips, trips and falls - Something may fall and smash, and other residents may be carrying large or heavy items, meaning sensible shoes are a must no matter what the weather.  Flimsy footwear is not allowed.

Follow the signs - On arrival, a member of staff will be on hand to meet, greet and provide directions to the appropriate disposal bays. These are clearly laid out and signed to help residents find the areas they need.

Children and pets should remain in vehicles - With cars, vans and trucks reversing and bulky items being moved around, it is important that children of all ages, as well as pets, stay inside vehicles for their own safety.  Children are often keen to be green and help out, but pre-sorting items at home can keep them engaged with recycling, as well as safe.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Many residents may be doing some DIY or pre-winter gardening during the half term and will be planning to visit a Household Waste and Recycling Centre.  Please follow the guidance and keep everyone safe.  The sites are busy places with lots going on, especially so during the school holidays.”

Opening times for each of the borough’s seven recycling centre differ, visit https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/waste-and-recycling/find-a-recycling-centre/find-a-recycling-centre-or-loc.aspx to find out when your nearest site is open.

You can also arrange a bulky waste collection on-line at: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/waste-and-recycling/bulky-waste-collection.aspx

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the introduction of social distancing measures the number of cars allowed on the sites is limited at any one time. This could mean that there are queues to get onto the site and so a one car off, one car on system will be in operation. 

The gates to the recycling centre may need to close earlier than advertised to make sure that those already on site can recycle their waste correctly and safely before the scheduled closing time.  At this point, queuing visitors could be asked to return to the recycling centre another day.

Please be aware that, for safety reasons, sites may also close earlier than the advertised closing time if it is dark or there is bad weather.