Hartlepool Borough Council is re‑introducing a booking system at its Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Burn Road, with visitors required to have an appointment from Wednesday 8 April.
Cars, vans and trailers will only be allowed entry from this date if they have booked in advance. Appointments can be booked at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/hwrc from Wednesday 1 April.
Only Hartlepool residents can use the HWRC to dispose of household waste.
Visitors should bring photographic ID and proof of address and be prepared to show them to staff on request.
Appointments were introduced in 2020 to manage health and safety on site and control disposal costs. The booking system was removed in 2024.
The reintroduction of bookings will help to improve safety, efficiency and cost control by:
- Ensuring the smooth and safe running of the site, managing traffic flows and reducing queuing on site and on adjacent roads.
- Preventing the illegal disposal of commercial waste, including disposal of waste from rental properties by landlords or third parties working on their behalf. This will save the Council money by reducing disposal costs associated with trade waste.
- Preventing use of the site by people from outside the borough.
- Allowing the Council to monitor excessive use by local residents and those who miss appointments on a regular basis, improving service planning and resource use.
By controlling access through bookings, the Council aims to protect the service for genuine Hartlepool residents and ensure that household waste is handled safely and responsibly. The booking system will help to keep costs down at a time when Council budgets remain under significant pressure, so this measure will help protect other services across the borough at this time.
The Council also offers a subscription garden waste service at https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/waste-recycling/garden-waste-subscription-service and household waste removal services which can be arranged at https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/waste-recycling/waste-removal-service