HRCs - Opening Hours and Conditions of Use

Household Recycling Centres - Identification Required for Access 

Please note that only residents living within the Ards and North Down Borough Council area are eligible to use our Household Recycling Centres (HRCs). 

In order to protect the Council’s Household Recycling Centre services for residents of the Borough and limit waste processing costs levied upon our ratepayers, those wishing to enter sites may be subject to identity checks.  All prospective site users should bring along documentary proof of residency in the Borough (a valid driving licence, utility bill, rates bill or a bank statement showing residential address within Ards and North Down Borough) and be prepared to show this on entry to HRCs.  

Household Recycling Centres Opening Hours

Booking is not required at any of the Household Recycling Centres. Gates will close 15 minutes before closing time and no further vehicles will be admitted.

  • Bangor - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4.45pm
  • Comber - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Holywood - Monday to Wednesday from 8am to 4.45pm, Thursday: Closed, Friday and Saturday from 8am to 4.45pm, Sunday from 10am to 3.45pm
  • Kircubbin - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Ballygowan - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Donaghadee - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Millisle - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Newtownards - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed 
  • Portaferry - Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.45pm, Saturday from 8am to 4.15pm, Sunday: Closed   

 

Covid19 Restrictions

We will continue to operate strict social distancing measures so please note:

  • A limited number of vehicles will be allowed onto each site at any one time.
  • You will have to queue for access - at peak times queues may be very long and we would ask you to be patient
  • Our staff will not be able to help you to lift your recycling from your car to the appropriate containers.  If you need help offloading, please bring another person with you.Only two people per vehicle will be allowed access.
  • When offloading please keep at least 2-metres distance between you and other users/employees. 
  • Once onsite, we would ask you to limit your visit to 5 minutes – to assist others waiting to get access. 
  • There will be no pedestrian access – entry in a vehicle only.

 

Household Recycling Centres - Conditions of Use

Covid-19 does not stop our commitment to STAND for Sustainability. All the established rules to promote recycling at our HRCs will still apply – remember, they are ‘recycling’ centres; not ‘dumps’!

  • Full recycling participation will be required and disposal of recyclable waste in landfill skips will not be permitted. From week commencing 25 May 2020, all HRC visitors will be required to retrieve blue bin recyclable waste items and glass bottles/jars from any black bags they wish to dispose of in landfill skips, and place them in the blue bins/glass caddies provided beside the skips.
  • We will have increased capacity for mixed dry recyclable materials (items that go into the blue bin). So if you have extra such blue bin materials for disposal keep them separate and put them into the blue bins at the HRC.  DO NOT PUT BLUE BIN RECYCLABLES IN THE LANDFILL SKIPS.
  • Cars, and cars with small single axle trailers, will be permitted with the full range of materials normally accepted at our HRCs.
  • Vans or large trailers (larger than single axle) will require a permit for access as usual.  Because of current restrictions, permits are only available in electronic format. Please telephone 0300 013 3333 and press option 1 to speak to an operator. An application form and details of what is required in order to process your application will then be sent out to you. Permit requests will be processed within three working days.
  • You must sort your waste before you come to the site. A bit of extra time at home will save you a lot of extra time on site – and this benefits everyone – especially during the current crisis.

IMPORTANT: Please ensure you bring ID as proof of residency in the Borough e.g. Driving Licence, Utility Bill showing address.  Show this to attendant through the CLOSED car window at entrance to site.

Our full kerbside collection services continue to operate and if used to their full potential, should be sufficient to allow you to manage your waste at home in the short to medium term. If you plan to visit one of our HRCs, remember:

  • Sort your waste before you leave the house - separate all recyclables from non-recyclable (landfill) waste items.
  • Be prepared to queue
  • Maintain social distancing when onsite
  • You will not be allowed to dispose of recyclable waste in landfill skips.
  • If you are self-isolating or have symptoms of COVID-19 DO NOT come to our sites under any circumstances.

Please respect our staff and the instructions they give you. We will take a zero tolerance approach to any verbal or physical abuse and will report any incidents to the PSNI.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need a van permit?

The van permit system has been in operation since January 2018. This has not changed.

Vans or large trailers (larger than single axle) require a permit for access as usual. Because of current restrictions, permits are only available in electronic format.

Please telephone 0300 013 3333 and press option 1 to speak to an operator. An application form and details of what is required in order to process your application will then be sent out to you. Permit requests will be processed in three working days.

What can I recycle/ Are there any restrictions to the type of waste that I can bring to the HRCs?

Ards and North Down Borough Council has maintained a full kerbside collection service throughout the pandemic to date and we urge all our residents to continue to use this to the maximum capacity for their individual households. If you need to visit one of the HRCS, details of what you can recycle are below:

If disposing of an old oil tank, please note that it must be drained and cut in half before bringing to the HRC.

Balloo Recycling Centre - What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, cooking oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, food and drink cans, ink cartridges, textiles, books, reuse container, plasterboard, rubble, carpet, mattresses and cardboard.

Newtownards Recycling Centre – What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, cooking oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, food and drink cans, textiles, carpets, mattresses, books and cardboard.

Comber Recycling Centre – What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, cooking oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, food and drink cans, textiles, carpets, mattresses, books and cardboard.

Holywood Recycling Centre - What you can recycle

Household waste, garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, cooking oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, food and drink cans, textiles, books and cardboard.

Kircubbin Recycling Centre - What you can recycle

Mixed Glass, Cans, Paper, Cardboard, Textiles, Green Waste, Fridges and Freezers, Other White Goods, Small Domestic Appliances, Scrap Metal, Fluorescent Tubes, Car Batteries, Household Batteries, used cooking oil, Engine Oil, Paint, Wood and cardboard

Ballygowan Recycling Centre - What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper,used cooking oil, food and drink cans, textiles, books and cardboard.

Donaghadee HRC – What you can recycle

Garden waste, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, used cooking oil, food and drink cans, textiles, books and cardboard.

Portaferry HRC – What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, mixed paper, used cooking oil, food and drink cans, textiles, books and cardboard.

Millisle HRC – What you can recycle

Garden waste, wood and timber, scrap metal, fridges and freezers, large appliances, small appliances, TVs and monitors, portable batteries, car batteries, used engine oil, fluorescent tubes, paint, paint reuse, mixed glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, used cooking oil, mixed paper, food and drink cans, textiles, books and cardboard.

Recycling centres