As you are aware Oxfordshire’s seven Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) have been shut to waste delivered by the public since 24 March 2020, following Government’s direction that everyone should stay home due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Since then we have been working with the city and district councils to ensure excellent kerbside collection services have continued, and preparing for full service reopening of the recycling centres. The sites will reopen on Monday 18th May at 8:00am.
All seven sites will be open seven days a week as long as they are not overwhelmed and can operate safely, and will accept all waste materials. Sites will open at 8am and close at 4pm to allow for additional cleaning.
The number of vehicles allowed onto the site will be reduced by approximately 50% to allow for social distancing. This means that queues are highly likely, especially at peak times such as weekends. Traffic marshals will be in place to manage queues, but queuing is not allowed on the public highway.
Residents are therefore being urged only to visit the site if their trip is essential and they cannot safely store their waste at home
Other policy changes in place include:
- Contactless card payments for DIY waste only
- Site staff are there for guidance and will not be able to help unload waste from vehicles
- Only one resident will be allowed out of the vehicle, unless assistance is needed with heavy items, and then 2 people will be permitted
- For the time being hire vans and trailers will not be allowed access, even if they have a permit.
- Sites will shut at 4pm promptly and anyone queuing will be asked to return another day. This will allow the site staff the time needed to clear and clean the site thoroughly. Traffic marshals will monitor the queue and warn those who may not reach site by closing time.
- In line with Public Health England guidance, residents who are vulnerable, or who are showing symptoms which may indicate coronavirus, should not visit household recycling centres
A full list of FAQs will be available on our website shortly: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wastereopenquestions
If you have any questions please contact the waste management team on [email protected]