Are recycling centres and dumps open during lockdown? Is the tip open?

Lockdown: GP warns ‘we’ve lost the battle’ and rules are ‘cosmetic’

Recycling centres are used by thousands of people every day. But in the wake of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement about the third coronavirus lockdown in England, speculation about these services has heightened. The first lockdown last March led to a huge increase in fly-tipping as people struggled to access tips and waste collection – so are recycling centres open during lockdown 3?

Boris Johnson ordered millions of Britons to remain at home except for a limited number of exceptions on Monday.

The Prime Minister warned the coming weeks will be the “hardest yet” as he announced another national lockdown for England.

The country moved to Covid Alert Level 5 which is the highest level in the Government’s plan outlined in May.

Level 5 means there is a significant risk that healthcare services could become overwhelmed and strict social distancing rules are needed.

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In an address to the nation on January 4, Mr Johnson said the new Covid variant is 50 to 70 percent more transmissible and the number of patients in hospital had increased by almost a third in the last week.

He said: “In England, we must therefore go into a national lockdown which is tough enough to contain this variant.

“That means the Government is once again instructing you to stay at home.”

Mr Johnson added: “I want to say to everyone right across the United Kingdom that I know how tough this is, I know how frustrated you are, I know that you have had more than enough of government guidance about defeating this virus.

“But now more than ever, we must pull together.”

Are recycling centres, tips and dumps open during lockdown?

During the first lockdown in March 2020, there was an increase in fly-tipping according to MPs.

Figures from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show there were 1,072,431 reported incidents of fly-tipping in the year running 2018 to 2019, the last year for which data is available.

But MPs expect this figure to rise in the year 2019 to 2020, particularly during the months of lockdown.

Conservative MP Paul Bristow said the illegal dumping of waste had become more acceptable as people carried out “copy-cat” offences and he called for an increase in fly-tipping penalties.

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Recycling centres, tips and dumps will likely remain open during the third national lockdown in England.

The majority of public services are permitted to continue and people are able to leave their homes to visit them.

Other public services open during lockdown include:

  • The NHS and medical services such as GPs and dentists
  • Jobcentre Plus sites
  • Courts and probation services
  • Civil registrations offices
  • Passport and visa services
  • Services provided to victims
  • Waste or recycling centres
  • Getting an MOT, if you must legally drive for work purposes.

Visits to tips, recycling centres and dumps are therefore permitted to continue.

But the decision will be left to individual local council authorities.

You can check if you can visit your local waste disposal centre via your local authority’s website here.

As part of the Government’s mandate to remain at home – people are asked to only make essential trips to these sites.

Those wishes to visit these sites are advised to visit alone unless they have a blue badge.

Recycling centres, tips and dumps can remain Covid-secure by adhering to the following guidelines:

  • Limiting the number of visitors per car
  • Ensuring social distancing is observed
  • Implementing a one-in/one-out system
  • Requiring evidence of your address to ensure unnecessary travel has been avoided.
  • Banning staff from unloading or lifting items to reduce contact.
  • Mandate the use of face masks.
  • Operating appointment-only systems.

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