Household waste recycling centre FAQs

What do I need to do to visit the recycling centres?

Depending on how you intend to use the recycling centre, you need to apply for either a:

• resident pass - for small vehicles such as a car, people carrier, 4x4 pickup or small van
• vehicle pass - for medium to large vans and small vehicles towing a trailer
• pedestrian pass - if you're walking or using a bus, bicycle or mobility scooter
• booking - for one-off visits for exceptional circumstances

Find out more about applying for a pass.

Why do I need to create an online account?

You'll need to set up an account online to manage your visits. This will allow you to register for a pass or to make a booking to visit a recycling centre in Barnsley or Doncaster.

Do I need to pay to register?

No, the service is free of charge.

Do I need a permit windscreen badge or permit booklet?

No - we've created a digital pass system. This uses technology such as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR).

What if I need to deposit waste whilst I'm waiting for a pass approval?

To deposit waste whilst you're waiting for your pass to be approved, you can make a one-off booking to visit a recycling centre.

Can multiple vehicles or passes be registered to the same address?

Yes. If you want to use more than one vehicle to visit, you can register each for the appropriate pass/permit.

What is a one-off booking?

You need to make a one-off booking to visit a recycling centre if:

• you've changed vehicle and waiting to receive your new log book (V5C)
• you're bringing household waste from a neighbour or family member who lives in Barnsley or Doncaster
• you've hired a van (must be under 3500kg gross vehicle weight)
• the vehicle you're visiting in isn't yours (must be under 3500kg gross vehicle weight)
• you're experiencing a bereavement

Make a one-off booking to visit a recycling centre.

How do I cancel a booking?

You can cancel a booking by logging into your account and selecting the 'cancel booking' option.

What do I need to do if I move house?

If you move house you need to update your online account with your new address.

How often do I need to reapply or renew my pass or permit?

Your online account is valid for up to three years.

If you have a vehicle pass, this is valid for 12 visits within 12 months of the date you apply. After 12 months you'll need to re-apply for another vehicle pass to gain another 12 visits.

What if I don't live in the council’s area but need to visit a recycling centre and can't apply for a pass?

We know there may be some times when you can't apply for a pass to visit a recycling centre.

You can still register online for an account and make a one-off booking. You need to do this so suitable arrangements can be made.

Why has this service gone digital?

We asked our residents for their views on how we can improve our recycling centres and what we can do to offer a better service. From reviewing our services and your feedback we've:

• increased the materials we can accept at all our recycling centres
• reduced some restrictions on accepting certain material types
• invested in new equipment such as ramps, containers, signs and machinery
• increased specialist one-off bookings for any time during opening hours
• removed paper-based windscreen passes and permit booklets - this has reduced our paper consumption and speeds up vehicles moving through the centres
• introduced pedestrian passes to support active travel and walking drop-offs
• removed 4x4 pick-ups and small vans from a 12 visits per year restriction to the same category as a car
• introduced new methods of travel such as registered motorcycles, quad bikes and mobility scooters
• increased our recycling rate percentage
• enabled site staff to be more on hand to assist rather than needing to check for ID or paper permits
• partnered with Doncaster Council to offer cross-border visits
• enabled convenient 24-hour access to your account so you're in control of how you want to access your recycling centres

Moving to a digital service means that we can offer all of these benefits.

We believe the overall experience of using the recycling centres will be quicker, more convenient and provide more recycling opportunities than ever before.

What will you do with my data?

Your account will be valid for three years and your information will be deleted after. You can also choose to close your account at any time.

Once your application for a pass or permit has been reviewed, your uploaded documents will be deleted immediately.

Your data will be processed and held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Images collected from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, CCTV and body worn cameras can only be accessed by:

• pre-authorised staff at HW Martin
• authorised officers for the councils (where appropriate)

This data is not shared with third parties, unless this is requested as evidence.

The images are available for 31 days and thereafter the data will be written over.

Read the HW Martin household waste recycling centre privacy notice.

How do I close my account?

You can close your account by logging in and selecting the 'close your account' option.

What if I don't have my own vehicle?

If you don't have your own vehicle, you can visit the recycling centre in another vehicle by making a one-off booking.

You can also visit the recycling centre as a pedestrian, or if you use another means of transport (eg bus or bicycle). You'll need to have a pedestrian pass and have made a pedestrian booking to do this.

Can I get a pass if I'm not the registered keeper of the vehicle?

Yes - you can still get a pass if you're not the registered keeper of the vehicle. If you don't have the log book (V5C) you'll need to provide other documents. This will be the case if the vehicle is on a long-term lease hire (PCP), a Motability scheme, or owned by your employer.

You can provide either a:

• copy of your lease agreement (PCP and Motability scheme vehicles)
• letter from your employer giving you permission to use the vehicle and stating the waste deposited isn't from the business (it must include your name, address, vehicle make, model and registration number)

Can I get a pass for a vehicle provided by my employer?

Yes - you can get a pass for a vehicle provided by your employer. You'll need to create a customer account and provide:

• a letter from your employer which includes your name, address and the vehicle registration number
• confirmation that you have permission to use the vehicle and that any waste deposited is not from the business
• proof of where your employer disposes of their business waste - for example: a recent copy of a duty of care waste transfer note (see section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990)

What do I need to do when I change my vehicle?

If you change your vehicle you need to update the vehicle on your pass through your online account. Log in and select the pass your previous vehicle was registered to. You'll then be able to upload your new log book (V5C) to confirm the change.

I'm self-employed and my vehicle is registered to my business. Can I still get a vehicle pass?

Yes. You'll need to create a customer account to apply for a pass and provide:

• a copy of the vehicle log book (V5C)
• proof of where you dispose of your business waste
• a letter declaring that no waste from your business will be disposed of at the recycling centre
• a copy of either your current Council Tax bill or a utility bill

How do I work out the gross vehicle weight of my vehicle?

The gross vehicle weight (GVW), also known as gross revenue weight (GRW) is the overall weight limit of the vehicle. This can be found on your log book (V5C).

We can only permit vehicles with a maximum weight of 3500kg.

Can I access the recycling centre in a van that I've hired for the day, or one that doesn't meet the criteria for a vehicle pass?

Yes - you can make a one-off booking for a suitable vehicle with a maximum vehicle weight of 3500kg.

If you don't turn up for your chosen booking, it can’t be moved to another time. However, if you need to change it beforehand, log into your account prior to the booking and cancel it on the portal. You'll then be able to select a different time/day of your choice.

What waste can I take to the recycling centre?

See our webpage about what you can take to the household waste recycling centre for a list of items we can accept.

Can I bring my neighbour's waste?

You can bring your neighbour's waste as long as they're a resident of Barnsley or Doncaster. If you're bringing waste for a neighbour or a family member you also need to make a one-off booking through your online account.

Why is there a restriction on the number of times I can access the recycling centre with a vehicle pass?

Frequent visits by larger vehicles take more room up on site and usually take longer to unload. Therefore, to keep the recycling centres as free-flowing as possible, medium to large vehicles are unable to visit as often as smaller vehicles.

We looked at site usage and spoke with service users. From this we found that 12 visits per year is more than adequate for the vast majority of users (86.55% as per our consultation).

Why can I not carry waste in my vehicle as well as in a trailer?

You can't carry waste in your vehicle and in a trailer to make sure the recycling centres operate effectively and have a consistent flow of traffic.

Vehicles with trailers take up more space than a single car. If both the vehicle and trailer were to contain waste, a visit would take much longer. This would inconvenience other users, cause an obstruction and impact the flow of  traffic.

For health and safety reasons trailers must remain hitched to the vehicle.

Why do the recycling centres have automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras? 

The ANPR system allows us to use an automated pass/permit scheme. This makes the service more convenient and customer focussed.

The ANPR system reads vehicle number plates. If you have an account and appropriate pass, this will validate your access. You can use any site in Barnsley or Doncaster and there's no need to carry ID or display a physical permit in your vehicle. This means site staff aren't required to check permits or ID. It frees up more time for them to provide advice and assistance to visitors.

With ANPR technology will I get fined if I do not have a digital pass?

No, the ANPR technology only captures if you have a digital pass or not.