Recycling
- Household waste and recycling centres
- A-Z of recycling
- Waste permits
- Battery recycling
- Bring banks
- Recycling bin
- Recycling figures
- Communal recycling facilities
- Recycling Christmas waste
Household waste and recycling centres
Under the latest guidelines, our household waste and recycling centres will remain open but strict social distancing requirements are still in place.
Please only visit if it's essential.
To make sure that our facilities can operate within the government's guidelines, and to protect the safety of our staff and our residents, there are restrictions in place:
- anyone in self isolation or with COVID-19 symptoms must not visit under any circumstances
- if your household has had Covid-19 symptoms the waste should be left for 72 hours before being brought to site, and the waste should be double bagged
- follow the new odd and even car number plate system to access the site to help manage traffic and reduce queuing
- cars with trailers, eligible 4x4 vehicles with trailers, vans and pick up vehicles will require a permit
- social distancing at 2 metres will be strictly enforced and staff cannot assist the public in unloading
- only one person can leave the vehicle while on site, unless the item is heavy then one other adult from the same household can help
- only one person is allowed onto the gantries overlooking the skips at any one time, unless an item is too heavy and then one other person from the same car will be allowed to help
- traffic management will be in place at the site and priority will be given to bin wagons
- sites will be regularly cleaned
- proof of address may be required, please display in car windscreen
- you should wash your hands before and after visiting sites and avoid touching your face
You may have to queue before you are allowed entry into the sites. This is because there will be limits on the numbers of people that can be in the site at any one time.
Before travelling to a household waste and recycling centre, you should consider:
- storing items at home
- making use of retailer take-back services
- giving away items on reuse websites such as Freecycle and Freegle or on local social media groups
- checking the Reuse Network to see if small businesses or charities in your area can mend or repurpose your furniture and appliances instead
- using a private registered waste collection company, although there will be a cost if you do this and you should make sure the person collecting your waste is on the Environment Agency register
Opening times
Both of our recycling centres are open seven days a week, all year round excluding Christmas Day.
Monday to Friday - 9am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday - 9am to 6pm
Campground household waste and recycling centre, Wrekenton
Springwell Road, Wrekenton, Gateshead NE9 7XW
Cowen Road household waste and recycling centre, Blaydon
Cowen Road, Blaydon, Gateshead NE21 5TW
What waste you can bring
- bagged general household waste
- garden waste
- cardboard
- wood
- bulky waste such as old furniture
- small domestic appliances which do not need help from staff to be lifted, for example vacuum cleaners, toasters, kettles, microwaves, lawnmowers
- televisions and computers
- small fridges
- metals
- soil
- rubble (up to 6 bin bags)
- plasterboard
- large electrical appliances, for example ovens
- fluorescent tubes
- engine and vegetable oil
- textiles
- household recycling for example plastic, cans, glass, papers
Odd and even number plate system
We expect our recycling centres will be extremely busy. We are temporarily introducing an odd and even number plate system to help us manage traffic and reduce queuing. This means you can only visit the recycling centres on certain days depending on your vehicle number plate.
How it works
If the last number of your vehicle number plate is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 this is an even number plate.
Examples of even number plates:
RL34 JGS
The last number is 4.
V952 GHD
The last number is 2.
PRIV8 A0
The last number is 0.
If the last number of your vehicle number plate is 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 this is an odd number plate.
Examples of odd number plates:
GJ25 HJK
The last number is 5.
Y247 NJF
The last number is 7.
PRIV8 A3
The last number is 3.
Please only visit on the day indicated below.
Date | Vehicle number plates |
---|---|
Monday 18 January | Even |
Tuesday 19 January | Odd |
Wednesday 20 January | Even |
Thursday 21 January | Odd |
Friday 22 January | Even |
Saturday 23 January | Odd |
Sunday 24 January | Even |
Monday 25 January | Odd |
Tuesday 26 January | Even |
Wednesday 27 January | Odd |
Thursday 28 January | Even |
Friday 29 January | Odd |
Saturday 30 January | Even |
Sunday 31 January | Odd |
Monday 1 February | Odd |
Tuesday 2 February | Even |
Wednesday 3 February | Odd |
Thursday 4 February | Even |
Friday 5 February | Odd |
Saturday 6 February | Even |
Sunday 7 February | Odd |
Monday 8 February | Even |
Tuesday 9 February | Odd |
Wednesday 10 February | Even |
Thursday 11 February | Odd |
Friday 12 February | Even |
Saturday 13 February | Odd |
Sunday 14 February | Even |