Construction waste (including home DIY)

Page contents:


What is construction waste?

Construction or home DIY waste generated through building or renovation work.

Materials classified as construction or DIY waste includes, but is not limited to:

  • Bricks, rocks, stones, cement, concrete and hard core (rubble)
  • Construction wood: fitted kitchens and wardrobes, outdoor wood such as fence panels/posts, sheds
  • Garden stone and paving, concrete posts, concrete panels and concrete sheds
  • Tiles, ceramics (includes sinks, toilets and shower trays)
  • Earth, soils including turfs
  • Plasterboard and room partitions

Where you can take your construction and DIY waste

Use our recycling search tool to find out where you can take your construction and DIY waste.

Recycling search tool


What you need to know before visiting a Community Recycling Centre (CRC)

  • Site staff will monitor the disposal of non-chargeable construction waste.
  • If the number of visits and the amount of waste being deposited is excessive, site staff may redirect you to a waste transfer station where the waste will be weighed and charged.
  • Residents with a valid van, pickup or trailer permit can now bring chargeable construction waste to certain CRCs in these vehicles, which must be bagged. Loose loads will not be accepted.
  • Unfortunately residents with a valid van, pickup or trailer permit are still unable to bring non chargeable construction waste into our CRCs in these vehicles. This type of waste can be taken to a waste transfer station, where your waste will be weighed and a charge made. See our business and commercial waste page for details.
  • For large home renovation projects please consider factoring in the cost of hiring a skip to dispose of your waste. Our sites are not designed to accept large quantities of this type of waste.

Advice for households

Waste from construction works, including home DIY, is not classified as household waste and the council does not have to accept this type of waste free of charge.

Residents with a valid van, pickup or trailer permit can now bring chargeable construction waste to certain CRCs in these vehicles, which must be bagged. Loose loads will not be accepted.

Unfortunately residents with a valid van, pickup or trailer permit are still unable to bring non chargeable construction waste into our CRCs in these vehicles.

See the following sections for more details.

Chargeable construction waste

Construction waste that will be chargeable:

  • Bricks, rocks, stones, cement, concrete, hard core and rubble
  • Garden stone and paving, concrete posts, concrete panels and concrete sheds
  • Tiles, ceramics (includes sinks, toilets and shower trays)
  • Earth, soils including turfs
  • Plasterboard and room partitions

For charging details please see waste we charge for at our Community Recycling Centres

Chargeable construction waste is only accepted at the following sites.

Use our Recycling search tool to find out your nearest CRC that accepts chargeable construction waste.

Non-chargeable construction waste

  • Baths
  • Fitted kitchen cupboards and work surfaces
  • Timber; including fence panels, posts, garden sheds, flooring and other timber used in DIY projects
  • Internal and external doors
  • Windows
  • Radiators
  • Fitted units
  • Rigid plastic sheeting or roofing felt
  • Insulation
  • Flooring (excluding ceramic or stone - see chargeable construction waste above)

This waste must:

  • be from your own home
  • be brought in your car

Advice for businesses

See our business and commercial waste page for information on:

  • How to handle and dispose of business waste.
  • Advice for registering as a carrier of waste.
  • Where to dispose of your business waste and charges.

It is illegal to dispose of business waste through facilities provided for householders, including: household kerbside collection bins, street bins, recycling banks or recycling centres.

Construction Industry Websites

  • WRAP provides tools and guidance on managing waste in the construction sector.
  • SECBE (South East Centre for the Built Environment) provides advice on managing and reusing construction and demolition waste.
  • The Environment Agency gives advice and guidance for preventing pollution, managing waste and resources sustainably on construction, demolition and excavation sites.

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