Rubbish, Recycling and Green Waste Collections

This link will take you to the Dorset Council’s waste collection pages and your next collection date for fuller information click here

Household recycling centres 

All household recycling centres (HRCs, or ‘the tip’) are open, although certain restrictions are in place – click here to view the latest information

Be aware that householders should only take waste to a HRC if it cannot be stored safely at home and no alternative disposal options are available.

There will be restrictions on site, and additional security staff will help to enforce these, plus traffic management measures. All usual waste types will be accepted, although re-use areas will remain closed.

Visitors should also expect long queues to access HRCs due to social distancing measures limiting the amount of people we can have on site at any one time.

Help Your Collection crew

With people staying at home, there has been an increase in rubbish and recycling at the kerbside. At a time when our workforce is stretched, this can be challenging.
Please note the following ways you can help our front-line waste workers: –
• Make sure your bins are out by 6am on your collection day
• Please continue to put the right stuff in the right bin
• Switch to products with less packaging, such as from glass bottles to cans
• Do not fill any recycling box or bin higher than the top of the box/bin itself
• If you have excess recycling (especially glass), please place it out for collection in a sturdy container that can be easily lifted by one person without the contents spilling or falling out. Do not use plastic bags
• Park considerately, allowing for our vehicles to access your street.

New kerbside bin collection arrangements

With the need to introduce new safety measures residents are asked to help by changing the way litter bins, litter and recycling are dealt with. You do not need to do anything differently on your collection day. Please put the appropriate bins out as you usually would, but note the following: –

We will no longer return to empty any missed bins until your next regular collection day. If your bins are missed, please bring them back in. Store your waste safely and put it out on your next appropriate collection day
We will pick up extra black bin rubbish only if your previous rubbish collection was missed. We will continue to pick up food waste weekly. You can also put out extra recycling provided it is separated correctly
Do not try to report missed collections to us. Visit the service disruption pages online to check if you are in an affected area
Remember to crush and flatten items (not glass) before throwing away, as this will help create space in your bins and our collection vehicles. Put your glass box out when it is full
Please continue to observe public health guidance on handling your waste. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, please double bag your waste and store for 72 hours before placing in your bin or blue sack.
Wash your hands both before putting your bins out and after taking them back in
• We recommend rinsing dirty rubbish and recycling items before placing in bins to reduce unpleasant odours.

As we have had to redeploy employees to higher-priority services, our street-cleansing, household recycling centres and recycling banks in car parks have also been suspended. Therefore: –

If you go out to exercise, take your litter home with you, especially dog waste. Street and dog bins are not being emptied on a regular basis. NEVER place household waste in a street litter bin
Do not travel to a household recycling centre (HRC, or ‘the tip’) or any recycling bank in a car park as these are all now closed and are no longer being serviced. Any items left at these sites will not be cleared away and will be considered as fly-tipping.

Last Updated 11/01 2024 DIT