In-line with the latest Government advice, our Household Waste Recycling Centres in Blackburn and Darwen reopened on 18 May 2020. To book a slot to take your items, please use the buttons below the terms and conditions and the how to make a booking video.
Please note, members of the public should not visit HWRCs if they fall within the categories below:
- Extremely vulnerable and are remaining at home for shielding purposes
- Symptomatic with coronavirus
- In a 14-day household isolation
Journeys to HWRCs must only be undertaken if your waste or recycling cannot be stored at home safely.
If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or health, then you must do so.
In order to adhere to social distancing guidelines and due to the limited space both in and around our sites, we will operate a new booking system with limited slots available each day.
Slots will be available to book 14 days in advance.
- Blackburn HWRC – you can book a slot to take items in your car every day except Wednesdays. Residents with permit (vans, trailers and construction waste) can book a slot on Wednesdays only.
- Darwen HWRC - you can book a slot to take items in your car every day except Tuesdays. Residents with permit (vans, trailers and construction waste) can book a slot on Tuesdays only.
Soil: this is considered to be construction/DIY waste the same as rubble and hardcore: to dispose of soil at the HWRC you will need to have a permit.
Along with our contractor Suez, which runs the two sites on our behalf, we ask that all residents adhere to the following terms and conditions in order to keep both staff and residents safe.
Please read them carefully before you book an appointment.
Terms and Conditions
- Vehicles will not be permitted access to the HWRC without a pre-booked appointment.
- Only 1 visit per household, within any 7 day period to either Blackburn or Darwen HWRC is permitted.
- Separate booking are available for existing permits for vans, cars with trailers or C&D waste excluding asbestos.
- Anyone that arrives travelling in a van or car with a trailer will be turned away unless they have booked a specific slot for a permit.
- Vehicles must arrive promptly at the allocated 20 minute time slot and join the queue of vehicles to enter the site.
- Vehicles that are queuing outside of their allocated time slot will be asked to leave the queue and return at the correct time.
- All vehicles must display proof of address clearly in the front windscreen e.g. current Council tax bill, driving licence or current mortgage, credit card or bank statement.
- You must not exit your vehicle until told to do so by HWRC staff.
- When on site only 1 person is allowed to leave the vehicle unless you have a bulky item that requires 2 people to carry.
- Please ensure that all waste is separated before you arrive on site. It will save time if you can separate into electrical waste, garden waste, metals, glass and usable bric-a-brac.
- Only domestic waste from your own property will be accepted.
- HWRC staff may need to close the site at any time during opening hours whilst skips are changed. Please be prepared to wait outside the site should this happen during your allocated time slot.
- Commercial waste is not accepted at any Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council HWRC.
- Abuse of any kind on site will not be tolerated and will result in those responsible being banned from all sites and incidents will be reported to the Police.
- All visitors to the site must wear gloves.
- Social distancing will be enforced at all times and if not observed those persons responsible will be banned from using sites in future.
- Staff on site will not be able to help you move your waste, please make sure that you will be able to your leave your waste e.g. another person with you to carry large items or split the items into smaller loads. If this is not possible please inform the staff and you will be asked to leave the item at the bottom of a skip and it will be moved by staff later.
How to book an appointment using the online form
Book a visit to Blackburn HWRC
Book a permit visit to Blackburn HWRC to take a van or construction waste
Book a permit visit to Darwen HWRC to take a van or construction waste