Household Recycling Centres (HRCs)

Any VCSE group visiting Wiltshire Council's Household Recycling Centres will need to obtain a permit from Wiltshire Council in order to use these facilities.

Please read the following terms and conditions before you apply for a permit:

1. There is no expiry date on the permit however you will only be able to renew your permit 12 months after it has been issued.
2. A recycling centre permit allows certain voluntary, community or social enterprise groups to access Wiltshire Council's recycling centres and to dispose of recyclable materials only. Non-recyclables cannot be disposed of.
3. You will only be able to apply for a recycling centre permit if you are a charity whose goods have been donated for reuse by residents and you have been unable to reuse or resell these items.
4. The following vehicles are not permitted at any recycling centres:
   • any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes gross/laden weight
   • trailers over 3.0 metres in length
   • horse box trailers
   • vans, pickups or flatbeds with a trailer of any size
5. Access to recycling centres will be refused for any VCSE group without a valid permit.
6. Permits will only be issued to VCSE groups operating in the local authority area of Wiltshire. This excludes Swindon Borough Council.
7. A permit will not be issued to groups who do not fully complete the application form. Any incomplete information may mean that a permit is not issued.
8. The council reserves the right to check the accuracy of any vehicle information provided with the DVLA.
9. A QR code will be issued via email or letter. When visiting a recycling centre, you must show your QR code to a member of site staff who will scan it, and this will reduce your remaining visits by one each time.
10. If you visit the recycling centres more than once in one day, each visit will be counted separately.
11. Permits are only valid for the vehicles documented on the permit. Permits are issued for up to three vehicles, so any member of the VCSE group may visit the site using the vehicles registered on permit. Please see point 14 for information regarding a change in vehicle.
12. Permits are valid at all recycling centres operated by Wiltshire Council. Please note this excludes any sites located in Swindon, or other neighbouring counties.
13. The maximum number of permitted visits is 12 per year. This could be through 1 purchase of a 12-visit permit, or 2 purchases of a 6-visit permit. If you choose to purchase a permit for 6 visits but then make a second purchase of a 6-visit permit later, we will add these visits to your current permit to give you the maximum of 12-visits per year. (For example, if your original purchase of 6 visits was issued on the 5 September 2024, your earliest renewal date will be 5 September 2025. If you later purchase 6 more visits in March 2025, the earliest renewal date will remain as 5 September 2025.)
14. If you change your address or vehicle(s) please contact the council, along with details of the changes required. If you sell/return your vehicle(s), you must not pass on the permit to the new owner.
15. If you lose your permit, please contact the council. The council can re-issue the QR code.
16. The council reserves the right to cancel permits and amend the operation of the household recycling centre permit scheme at any time.
17. The council reviews its charges annually but reserves the right to vary charges with reasonable notice at any time.
18. If the VCSE group wishes to cancel their permit, they can do so by contacting the council. No refunds will be given.
19. The recycling centre staff reserve the right to query the origin and nature of the waste you are bringing into the site.
20. The recycling centre staff reserve the right to refuse access if a permit cannot be produced.
21. The recycling centre staff reserve the right to ask anyone who abuses them, either verbally or physically, to leave the site. Wiltshire Council, FCC Environment and Hills Waste Solutions will not tolerate any violent, aggressive, abusive, or threatening behaviour towards site staff.