Recycling Centres for Household Waste

Luxborough Lane, Chigwell
Mill Lane, Ongar
Brooker Road, Waltham Abbey

Waste and Recycling Helpline number 0845 603 7625

Opening times for all centres are:

16 October to end of February - 8am - 4pm, 7 days a week
1 March to 15 October - 8am - 5pm, 7 days a week
1 May to 31 August - open until 7pm on Tuesdays only, as well as the times stated above for the other days of the week

Information on all sites can be obtained from Essex County Council's Recycling Centres for Household Waste on 0845 603 7625. Recycling Centres for Household Waste are operated by Essex County Council.

Click here to visit the Essex County Council website

Please Note:

HEIGHT BARRIERS OPERATE AT ALL THESE SITES, THEY ARE SET AT 1.95 METRES. THE CONTRACTOR MANAGING EACH SITE IS AUTHORISED TO OPEN THE BARRIERS TO AN OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE CARRYING THE RESIDENTS OWN HOUSEHOLD WASTE, FROM 12.00 HRS EVERY SUNDAY AND FROM 17.00 HRS ON TUESDAYS FROM MAY TO AUGUST ONLY (UNLOADING FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT EACH SITE INCLUDING THE USE OF A WHEELBARROW / TROLLEY ON REQUEST) THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS REVIEWED THE POLICY REGARDING ACCESS TO CIVIC AMENITY AND RECYCLING CENTRES, AND HAS AGREED THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE CIVIC AMENITY SERVICE FROM 01 NOVEMBER 2001.

a) Open-Backed Vehicles carrying the residents own household waste will be admitted to the sites. (In the case of a vehicle with a cab higher than the height barrier then the same rules apply as for other over-height vehicles).

b) Trailers - Only single axle unbraked trailers carrying residents own household waste will be permitted access to Civic Amenity and Recycling Centres.

NO OTHER TRAILERS WILL BE PERMITTED ACCESS TO THE RECYCLING CENTRES FOR HOUSEHOLD WASTE

CCTV has been introduced to monitor on site activities.

What is household waste?

The Essex County Council RCHWs are provided by Essex County Council for the residents of Essex to dispose of their own household waste from their own domestic residence.

The centres are licensed by the Environment Agency to accept ONLY household waste, therefore:

RCHWs cannot accept waste from, or associated with, any commercial operation (charities, businesses and sole traders) or waste that is NOT from a resident's own home.

The legislation under which Essex County Council regulates what waste can be brought to the centres is the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Environmental Protection Act Part II, Section 51 (i)(b) "Functions of a Waste Disposal Authority" states that it shall be the duty of each waste disposal authority to arrange for places to be provided at which persons resident in its area may deposit their own household waste.

Under the above legislation Essex County Council does not have a Duty of Care (responsibility) for the following: "a householder disposing of waste that is not from his property (for example waste from his workplace or waste from a neighbours' property), or someone who is not the occupier of the property (for example, a builder carrying out works to a house he does not occupy)".

The contractors who manage the RCHW on behalf of Essex County Council may ask you to complete a declaration form indicating that the waste you have brought to the centre is from your own private residence. By signing the declaration you are also indicating that you have not been paid, either directly or indirectly, to transport and / or dispose of the waste.

The information contained on this declaration form will be stored in electronic format and used to monitor the origins of waste delivered to the RCHW and the vehicle in which it is delivered. The information will be shared with the Environment Agency, Local District / Borough Councils, Essex Police and other agencies as part of their investigations into illegal activities which includes the illegal deposit of waste onto land (including RCHW).

Please note: Making a false declaration or providing false information on this form could result in you being denied access to the facilities at the RCHW.

Essex County Council working in partnership with The Environment Agency, Essex Police and Essex Local Authorities.

Access policies and other restrictions at Essex County Council Recycling Centre for Household Waste

Bringing Soil and Hardcore to Essex RCHW.

Soil and hardcore fall into the category of construction, demolition and building waste, and are NOT household waste. ECC does not have to accept this type of waste at its centres. Small amounts of both are accepted at Essex RCHW as a special service to residents; provided the waste come from the residents own home. The limit is 3 civic amenity site wheel barrow loads (one average car boot load, with the seats up) per household in any 28 day period (combined total of soil and hardcore).

A more convenient way to dispose of soil and hardcore and other large quantities of DIY waste is to use a local skip hire service or "bulk bag" company.

Height Barriers at RCHW

The height barriers are in place to prevent large trade vehicles from entering the centres, which are only licensed to accept household waste, not commercial waste.

The new barrier height from 17th December 2004 is 1.95 metres (6 feett 5 inches) which will allow most people carriers and 4x4s (except some models with roof racks) into the centres. The height barriers are opened from 12 noon until closing time on Sundays (except West Mersea, which is closed on Sundays; other nearby sites are at Clacton, St. Osyth, Kirby Le Soken and Colchester).

Please note it is the responsibility of the driver to be aware of the overall height of their vehicle before proceeding under the barriers.

All Essex RCHW have an area outside the site where over-height vehicles can unload and various trolleys are available for residents' use.

Trailers

With effect from Friday 17 December 2004 all trailers carrying residents own household waste will be admitted to this centre subject to health and safety restrictions and provided there is sufficient space. If the site is very busy you may be asked to wait until space is available or return at a later time. At busy times please see centre supervisor for guidance.

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