Disposal of DIY Waste from your Home
By Car: We currently receive small quantities of DIY waste for free if delivered to our Smugglers Way Household Waste and Recycling Centre in a car.
By Van: Residents are able to dispose of small amounts of DIY waste for free at our facilities when delivering in a van i .e. up to 100 litres of DIY waste, or one large item no bigger than 2m x 0.75m x 0.7m such as one bath tub, one door or one kitchen unit, a maximum of one delivery a week. Residents will need to pre-book and produce Valid ID on arrival in order to drop off this DIY Waste for free.
The DIY waste can be delivered in any size bag or container that residents find easy to carry.
There will be a visual inspection of all loads delivered by a resident dropping off waste in a van, to ensure that the above limits are adhered to and to deter commercial traders from abusing the new system.
Anyone wishing to dispose of more than the limits indicated above will be able to do so but will be charged, based on the weight of the additional DIY waste delivered.
You will be required to wear proper sturdy shoes/boots and a high-vis vest when you visit the site. If necessary the vests can be purchased at the Weighbridge Offices for £9.00.
If you are unsure what items are considered to be DIY Waste, you will find some examples below. If you cannot find the information you need, please contact us by phone on 020 8871 2788 or email info@wrwa.gov.uk.
DIY Waste are considered to be items that you would not normally take with you when you move, such as the fixtures and fittings in your home and garden. As of 31st December 2023, we are receiving a small quantity of DIY Waste from residents for free, if they book in before arrival.
- Building and demolition material, including plasterboard (only very small quantities allowed – please check first), plaster, roofing tiles, slates, felt, windows, window glass and glazing, doors, wood/timber, MDF, drain pipes and guttering, wall tiles, laminate flooring and floor tiles
- Bathroom suites and fittings, including toilets, baths and tiles
- Kitchen fittings and units, including sinks, work surfaces and cupboard doors
- Rubble, bricks, rocks, stones, hardcore, slabs, asphalt and tarmac
- Soil and turf
- Fencing and sheds
- Trellis
- Roof aerials and sky dishes
- Shelves
Should a resident wish to dispose of more than the weekly limits, they can choose to pay for the excess – the current charge is £264.28 per tonne, with a minimum charge per load of £142.70 – or return the following week to dispose of another weekly limit.
The list below shows the type of items that are considered Household Waste. Residents can dispose of them by car or van for free, if booked in before arrival.
- Garden prunings, grass cuttings and tree branches that you bring from your own home
- Plant pots and garden ornaments
- Garden benches
- Picnic tables and garden chairs
- Old compost bins and water butts
- Tools
- Curtain rails
- Furniture
- Carpets
- Electrical items
- Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
- Light fittings and wires
- General recycling such as glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, cans and clothes
Please try and sort your items into Household Waste and DIY Waste before putting them in your van as it will help site staff assess whether the quantity of DIY Waste you plan to drop off exceeds the limit for free disposal, and advise you whether a cost will be incurred.
When you first arrive you need to have your van weighed on the weighbridge. Once it has been weighed you can unload the Household Waste and up to 100l bags of DIY waste or one large item.
Should the DIY waste be above the permitted limits, you can decide to leave site after dropping off your free allowance and return the following week to drop off your excess (within the permitted limits). Alternatively, you will be directed to the weighbridge, where the costs of the additional DIY Waste will be determined, based on it’s weight.
The amount you will be charged for is based on the weight of the DIY waste (above the limits indicated earlier). The current rate per tonne for General Waste is £264.28 incl VAT, with a minimum charge of £142.70 incl VAT.
Please note that if you are dropping of Inert Waste i.e. rubble, bricks, ceramic tiles, these will need to be delivered to our Cringle Dock Waste Transfer Station in SW11 8BX, where it can be recycled and you will therefore pay a lower rate per tonne.
Cory, our waste management services provider, will only permit payment on a Major credit or debit card. Your payment will be taken by the weighbridge staff and you will be given a receipt.