Household Reuse and Recycling Centres
Visit our centres to responsibly dispose of household waste and donate reusable items.
Visiting Bristol’s Reuse and Recycling Centres
Bristol has 3 Household Reuse and Recycling Centres where you can dispose of a wide range of recyclable materials, along with general waste, white goods and electronics. There is also a Reuse Shop at each of Bristol’s recycling centres (check for opening times).
You need to book a time slot to use the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre. You can book up to 2 weeks in advance, or as little as 1 hour before your visit. Booking your slot at the recycling centre is quick, simple and saves time, removing the need to queue on site.
Please be aware, our St Philip’s site is currently unable to accept waste motor oil.
On this page
- Locations and opening times
- How to book and what forms of identification (ID) to bring with you
- What you can take to Bristol’s recycling centres
- Recycling centre maps
- Check if you need a permits
- Cycling to the site and maximum vehicle heights
- Reuse Shops
- Top tips and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Bristol Reuse and Recycling Centre locations and opening times
Bristol’s Reuse and Recycling Centres are located at Days Road in St Philips, Kings Weston Lane in Avonmouth, and Hartcliffe Way in South Bristol.
St Philips Reuse and Recycling Centre
Folly Lane, off Days Road
St Philips
Bristol
BS2 0QS
Avonmouth Reuse and Recycling Centre
Kings Weston Lane
Avonmouth
Bristol
BS11 0YS
Household Reuse and Recycling Centre opening days and times
The opening times are the same for all sites (check opening days):
- 9am to 5pm on weekdays
- 8am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays
The opening days are different for each site:
Avonmouth: Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat, Sun
Hartcliffe Way: Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
St Philips: Mon, Tues, Weds, Sat, Sun
How to book a trip to Bristol’s recycling centres
Visit bristol.gov.uk/bookrecycling to book a time slot for one of Bristol’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres.
If you don’t have access to the Internet, you can call 0117 922 2100 Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm (phone lines are closed Wednesday midday to 1.30pm).
Please remember to:
- Arrive in the vehicle you registered when booking
- Arrive within 5 minutes of your booked slot
- Bring photo identification (ID) and proof you’re a Bristol resident
ID and proof of address
Only Bristol residents can use the city’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. When you arrive at the site, you will be asked for valid photo identification (ID) and proof that you live in Bristol. You must present one type of photo ID and one proof of address.
Acceptable ID and proof of address
If don’t have photo ID, please email hwrc.enquiries@bristolwastecompany.co.uk.
Acceptable ID
- Driving license, including international driving license
- Passport
- National Union of Students (NUS) card
- European Economic Area (EEA) member state ID card
- Construction Identity Scheme (CIS) card
Acceptable proof of address
- Bristol City Council tax bill
- Utility bill with a Bristol address
- Student ID card identifying you as a Bristol student
What you can take to Bristol’s recycling centres
You can bring hazardous waste, including asbestos, to a Household Reuse and Recycling Centre where we’ll dispose of it safely. We take all typical household hazardous waste, including thermometers, liquids, chemicals, petrol, medicines, paints, flares and gas cannisters.
Please be aware, our St Philip’s site is currently unable to accept waste motor oil.
Please use the dropdown menus below for details and ensure that you follow health and safety measures to keep yourself and others safe.
- We can only accept cement-bonded asbestos.
- All asbestos must be double wrapped in heavy-duty polythene and sealed with tape. We will not accept unwrapped asbestos.
- Bagged asbestos must not be mixed with any other waste.
For your safety and the safety of our crews, please follow all health and safety guidance for handling asbestos. For further information go to HSE – Asbestos essentials and Asbestos in the home.
A sheet of wrapped asbestos counts as a bulky item at Bristol’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. Check how much bulky waste you can bring for free each week, plus additional amounts and charges.
Bristol residents can dispose of some household DIY waste for free at one of our recycling centres.
You can bring up to 1 load per week over a 4-week period of the following:
- up to 100 litres of loose waste, such as rubble or soil. This must be contained within two 50-litre rubble bags (or bags of equivalent size).
OR
- any bulky or fitted item, like a sink or pedestal, no larger than 2m x 0.75m x 0.7m.
Any waste exceeding these allowances will be charged at the following rates:
- £2.90 per sack of loose waste such as rubble or soil (full details)
- £4.50 per sheet or bag of clean plasterboard
- £9.50 for a bag of plasterboard with other materials attached
- £11 per bag/sheet of asbestos
You can pay at the time of booking on the Bristol City Council website.
Find your way around Bristol’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres
Plan your trip in advance with maps of each site:
- Avonmouth recycling centre map
- Hartcliffe Way recycling centre map
- St Philips (Days Rd) recycling centre map
Material types are occasionally moved to a different bay, but they are always clearly signed. Our friendly staff are happy to help by directing you to the right areas.
Permits for vans, pickups and towed trailers
You will need a permit to bring a van, pick-up or if you’re towing a trailer over 1.52 metres (5 feet) in length to Bristol’s Household Reuse and Recycling centres. Please note that a permit does not allow you to bring business or trade waste to the site.
- Apply for a van, pick-up or trailer permit
- Find out how to legally dispose of business or trade waste
Bikes and maximum vehicle heights
You can ride a bike into all of Bristol’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. You don’t need to book your visit in advance, but you will need to bring photo identification (ID) and proof of your Bristol address. If there is a queue, please join it behind the other road users.
Hire a bike trailer to transport waste to the recycling centre
Bike trailer hire is available from our Hartcliffe Way Reuse and Recycling Centre to transport your waste and recycling to the site. You can also use the trailer to take any items you buy from the Reuse Shop home with you.
Maximum vehicle heights
Both the Avonmouth and the St Philips Household Reuse and Recycling Centres are only accessible to vehicles 2.3 metres high or under.
If your vehicle is higher than this, you must use Hartcliffe Way Household Reuse and Recycling Centre, which is accessible to vehicles over 2.4 metres in height.
Bristol’s Reuse Shops
Each recycling centre has a Reuse Shop and a donation point for reusable goods. The shops are open from midday to 4pm on days the recycling centre is open.
You can donate electrical items, furniture, decorations, toys and sports equipment, DIY tools and much more.
Support a good cause
The money raised by Bristol Waste’s reuse shops is used to support reuse and recycling work and 25% is donated to charity.
We also run a Digital Inclusion Scheme in partnership with Bristol City Council to help close Bristol’s digital divide and keep functional tech out of the waste stream. So far, the scheme has refurbished and redistributed more than 3,000 computers, laptops and mobile phones.
Top tips for using the Household Reuse and Recycling centres
- You can only bring domestic waste and recycling to the Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. All trade and business waste must be taken to a commercial waste transfer station.
- You should sort your recycling before arriving at the site and make sure you can lift and move it yourself.
- There is no limit to the amount of DIY and construction waste you can bring to the site, but you may be charged for some types of DIY waste or if you’re bringing more than one load per week over a four-week period (see FAQs for further details).
Our site locations
St Philips Reuse and Recycling Centre
Folly Lane, off Days Road
St Philips
Bristol
BS2 0QS
Avonmouth Reuse and Recycling Centre
Kings Weston Lane
Avonmouth
Bristol
BS11 0YS
FAQs for the Household Reuse and Recycling Centres booking system
You need to book to visit our Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. Please read the FAQs for further information.
FAQs for the Household Reuse and Recycling Centres booking System
You need to book to visit our Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. Please read the FAQs for further information.
Bookings must be completed online at the council website at www.bristol.gov.uk/bookrecycling. Booking online is quick and easy to complete.
Please note, if you are planning to travel by bicycle or on foot you do not need to book an appointment.
Bristol residents can dispose of some household DIY waste for free at one of our recycling centres.
You can bring up to one load per week over a four week period of the following:
- up to 100 litres of loose waste, such as rubble or soil. This must be contained within two 50-litre rubble bags (or bags of equivalent size).
OR
- any bulky or fitted item, like a sink or pedestal, no larger than 2m x 0.75m x 0.7m.
Any waste exceeding these allowances will be charged at the following rates:
- £2.90 per sack of soil and rubble
- £4.50 per sheet or bag of clean plasterboard
- £9.50 for a bag of plasterboard with other materials attached
- £11 per bag/sheet of asbestos.
There is no maximum number of DIY waste bags you can dispose of at the recycling centre, however rules around ‘fair usage’ and no commercial waste remain.
Anyone suspected of abusing the residential waste service may be banned from the site.
The disposal of DIY waste at the recycling centres will be payable online when booking your recycling centre visit.
Booking online is the quickest and easiest way to book a slot. People with access issues, or those who do not have Internet access can call 0117 922 2100 (Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6pm – please note that telephone lines are closed 12 noon to 1.30pm on Wednesdays).
When calling to book you will need to give your home address and the registration number of the vehicle you’ll be using.
You can book a slot up to two weeks before your visit, or up to one hour before coming to site. We ask that you only book slots that you plan on using.
You can book up to one hour before your visit.
No. Only people with a pre-booked slot will be able to access the site. For more information on how to book, please see above.
You must bring photo identification (ID) and proof you’re a Bristol resident when attending your booked slot.
Examples include:
- driver’s license, travel card, or student ID
- council tax, utility bill
If you are using the recycling centre to recycle or deposit your waste, you still need to bring photo identification (ID) and proof you’re a Bristol resident.
There is no limit on how long you have on site. On average people spend 10 to 15 minutes at the recycling centres. Please be considerate of others waiting to come in and pre-sort your materials prior to coming on site. This will also make it easier for you when you arrive.
If you are unable find your address, please send the details of the missing address to Address not listed – bristol.gov.uk. Addresses can normally be added within 24 hours of notification.
If you are just visiting the shop at Hartcliffe Way or Avonmouth you can access the shop without booking. If you are visiting the Days Road shop you will need to book a slot as the shop is accessed through the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre.
The donation areas for pre-loved goods are located in the recycling centres, so if you are planning to donate, you will need to make a booking.
Slots are available throughout the day and at various sites across the city. If your first choice is not available, try looking at a different time, day, or site. Please note, we only allow people to book between one hour and two weeks in advance. We restrict the numbers that can book to prevent queues and ensure on-site safety.
You are able to visit the site using a hire vehicle. When booking you need to select the ‘I am using a hire vehicle’ option. This will allow you to proceed with your booking without entering registration plate details. When you arrive on site, you will be asked to present your hire documentation.
There is no limit to the number of times you can visit the site. If you repeatedly fail to show up for your appointments, your access to the recycling centres may be restricted. You will receive an automated message via the email address you provided to remind you of your booking.
The booking system helps us to plan numbers of people on site, ensure there are no queues, and provide a swift and smooth experience for you on site. So please try to be on time.
If you arrive late, you may not be able to access the recycling centre.
You can cancel your appointment by following the link in your confirmation booking. Please try to cancel with as much notice as possible. If you repeatedly miss your bookings, your access to the recycling centres may be restricted. This is to ensure there is good availability for all.
No, it is not possible to transfer your appointment to someone else. You will need to cancel your appointment and the other person will need to book with their details.
If you are planning to travel on bike, you do not need to make a booking to access the recycling centres. We accept pedestrians at the Hartcliffe Way Reuse and Recycling Centre, who also do not need to make a booking.
Please contact our customer support team general@bristolwastecompany.co.uk.