You need to book for a slot at Recycling Depots

BOOK B4 RECYCLING

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From Monday 13 March, people visiting Essex County Council recycling centres will need to book in advance. The booking system for all vehicles will open from February 27.

Booking slots is seen as a way to help manage waiting times, reduce congestion, and improve the customer experience.

The booking process has already been trialled for all vehicles using Rayleigh Recycling Centre, and also for large vehicles using the nine van-friendly sites.

Both trials have been effective in smoothing the pattern of demand across operating hours and reducing queues and congestion both in and around the sites.

Residents will be able to book their slots in advance from Monday 27 February.

Blue Badge holders do not need to book a slot.

Pedestrians and cyclists carrying waste from their own home are also not required to book. For safety reasons, we advise that cyclists either queue as a vehicle (for example, if they are towing a small trailer) or dismount and enter through the pedestrian gate. Cyclists can either walk their bike on-site using the pedestrian walkways, or cycle via the vehicle access areas.

Please note, any resident that parks a vehicle outside and attempts to walk waste in will be refused entry. This does not apply to cyclists.

How to make a booking

The booking system will open on Monday 27 February with the link being published on this page.

There is no charge to book, but you need to make a booking each time you visit. Please remember, recycling centres only accept household waste.

When making the booking, you will be able to select the recycling centre you wish to visit. Once you have chosen your recycling centre, a calendar will appear displaying the time slots. Fully booked slots will be greyed out, and available slots will be green. You can also view the capacity of each slot in the bottom right-hand corner of the time slot so you can see how busy each slot is.

Once your booking is complete you will receive a confirmation email. Please bring the booking confirmation and proof of address. Only residents of the Essex County Council area will be allowed access.

If you have limited internet or accessibility issues that may restrict you from booking your slot online, there are alternative options to book a slot. In the first instance, could you receive assistance from a friend, family member, colleague, carer or neighbour? Alternatively, you can phone the Essex County Council contact centre on 0345 743 0430 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm who will make the booking on your behalf.

Please note:

  • Booking slots will be made available for a maximum of two weeks in advance.
  • Bookings cannot be made on the same day. Bookings will close a day in advance to allow for detailed lists to be provided to the sites and administrative teams.
  • To ensure fair usage, we ask residents to try and limit visits to one booking per week. This is a just a guide and the booking system does not restrict multiple bookings.
  • Bookings for cars will have a 15 minute timeslot. You can arrive at your designated recycling centre at any point within this timeslot.
  • A booking slot does not allow priority access. If you arrive and there is a queue, please do not try and skip the queue as you will be refused access.
  • Any residents that park up outside and attempt to walk waste in will be reported and refused entry.
  • If you miss your slot, you may need to book another slot to visit on another day.
  • If you would like to cancel your booking, the booking confirmation email will contains a link called ‘return to my booking’. If you click this link, you will be able to follow instructions to cancel your booking.