Free disposal of DIY waste - please book ahead

In January’s edition of Sorted we told you about the new rules around disposing of DIY waste at our recycling sites. Here’s a reminder of what you need to do – remember you must book ahead to bring this material to site.  

Following a change in the law charges for disposing of construction and demolition materials from household DIY projects have been removed.

The materials you can dispose of for free include: asbestos, plasterboard, hardcore and rubble – although there is a limit to the amount you can bring for free.

The DIY waste must have been produced by you (the householder) in your own home. You now also need to book visits in advance – including for rubble which could previously be paid for on site.

Each calendar month every household can bring up to eight, 50 litre sacks (or equivalent 2m sheets of asbestos or plasterboard) free of charge to a recycling site over a maximum of four visits in a month. For example, two visits bringing four bags each time, or a single visit bringing eight bags.

You need to pre-book trips to dispose of this DIY waste, telling us:

• the amount of material you are disposing (up to 8x50 litre sacks per month)
• the number of times you will need to visit (up to four visits per month)

If you need to dispose of more than your monthly allowance then you can pay for the extra via our Construction and demolition waste disposal webpage.

Not all sites accept asbestos and/or plasterboard, please check online to find what is accepted at each site.

Free disposal is only available to Somerset householders. Construction and demolition waste from trade is classified as industrial waste and this is not entitled to any free disposal.

Biffa can accept trade construction and demolition waste (excluding trade asbestos) and a charge is payable to Biffa at the site.

Please note, not all sites accept plasterboard (visit our webpage on finding your nearest recycling centre for details of what each site takes).