A new registration scheme designed to ensure North Yorkshire’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) are used fairly by local residents is set to go live later this month. From Monday, April 27th, residents will need to register their name, address, and vehicle details before visiting any of the county’s 20 recycling sites.
The move follows a review showing that roughly one in six users currently come from outside the county, costing North Yorkshire taxpayers up to £400,000 a year. Registration is free, takes only a few minutes, and remains valid for three years. Once registered online, residents can use the centres immediately, as staff will simply check number plates on arrival rather than requiring a physical permit.
The scheme also introduces new rules for commercial-like vehicles (CLVs). Owners of these larger vehicles will be allowed up to 12 free visits per year to dispose of their own household waste. This limit is intended to prevent commercial waste from being disposed of for free while still supporting residents who own vans or large trucks for personal use.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, said:
“Introducing the registration scheme is an important step in protecting a service that residents value without creating additional cost to the taxpayer. It will help us to improve access, reduce misuse, and ensure we are operating the centres as efficiently and fairly as possible. Registration is quick, simple and lasts for three years.”
The decision comes after a 12-week consultation involving over 3,000 people, with 69% of respondents supporting restricted access for non-residents. In the last year alone, the county’s centres handled 64,500 tonnes of waste across 1.6 million visits.
Residents can register from April 27th at www.northyorks.gov.uk/hwrc. For those without internet access, help is available by calling 0300 131 2 131 or by visiting a local library or council office.
