The county council’s 14 household waste and recycling centres (HWRC’s) around the county are all currently open, following their temporary closure during the early stages of the Coronavirus lockdown.
The HWRC sites are all currently experiencing an increased level of demand, and as such, waiting times and traffic congestion around the sites is increasing.
The council would like to remind all residents that there is no need to dispose of household waste at our HWRC sites, as district councils continue to make kerb-side collections. The increased health and safety guidance, and the requirement for fewer vehicles to be allowed onto HWRC sites at the same time, has also contributed to the increased waiting times and traffic around our sites.
Please be mindful that our staff are working hard to support you and the local community during these difficult times, and therefore we all need to be patient when making trips to HWRC sites, particularly at those sites which are close to residential areas and businesses.
On Monday 14 September, all HWRC sites resumed operation with the normal restrictions in place. This included permitted access of van, utility vehicles and cars towing twin axle trailers, and the access of, without a permit, campervan and cars towing single axle trailers. Social distancing measures will still be implemented for both staff and customers.
The Waste Permit Scheme will be reinstated for all sites, and the bookings systems for accessing Boustead’s Grassing, Carlisle and Grange-over-Sands HWRC sites will continue. This can be accessed here: https://cumbria-book.oncreate.app/w/webpage/bookhwrc.
All of the latest information and guidance regarding Coronavirus and HWRC sites is available via the county council website.
Cllr Celia Tibble, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their patience who has visited one of our sites to dispose of their additional waste since they re-opened. On the whole, all our sites are coping well with the demand, with the exception of Frizington, Clay Flatts Workington, Kendal and Carlisle whose access roads can struggle to cope with the increased volume of traffic.
“Keeping staff and the public safe is our absolute priority and the guidance in place will help to ensure this is maintained, and also make the roads around the HWRC sites less congested and help to minimise the disruption for our local residents.”
