Household Recycling Centre

Location and opening times

Fengate Household Recycling Centre
Dodson House
Fengate
Peterborough
PE1 5XG

Household Recycling Centre opening times

The Household Recycling Centre is open seven days a week at the following times:

  • 1 April to 30 September - 8am to 6pm (gates shut at 5.50pm)
  • 1 October to 31 March - 8am to 4pm (gates shut at 3.50pm)
  • Bank holidays – 8am to 4pm (gates shut at 3.50pm)

Easter Monday, which is a bank holiday, falls on 1 April 2024 this year and will operate bank holiday opening hours.

The site closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day, and will close at 12pm (gates shut at 11.50am) on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

The gates shut 10 minutes before closing time.

Bad weather

In the unlikely event the Household Recycling Centre has to close at short notice due to bad weather, these occasions will be announced on our homepage and on social media.

If in doubt, please contact us for up to date information on the recycling centre, or save your visit for another day.

Important information

This site operates for members of the public to dispose of their household waste so that as much as possible can be recycled.

  • Business waste is not accepted at this site. If you want to dispose of business waste please visit our business waste page.
  • Waste is accepted at the site manager's discretion, find out more about the waste we accept from the Waste Disposal Policy below.
  • If you are using a van or trailer to dispose of your waste you will need to apply for an e-permit.
  • Please use all available parking spaces when unloading vehicles inside. If all parking spaces are full, staff will manage a one-in-one-out system. You must not wait to park next to a specific skip if there are other parking spaces available to park in.
  • Do not bring any waste which could be infected with Covid-19. This includes disposed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) waste or general household waste if you have been suffering from Covid-19 symptoms. You should place these bags into another bag, tie securely and keep separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before disposal.
  • Pedestrian access is permitted for residents bringing small amounts of waste in from the local area. Access is located to the right hand side of the vehicle entrance. Please follow the safe walking routes and wear suitable clothing. Stepped access is part of the pedestrian route into site. There is no parking outside the site.
  • Bicycle access is permitted where required.
  • Accessible parking bays can be found inside the site.

Materials accepted on site

  • Asbestos - see below for procedure
  • Batteries (everyday household batteries, button batteries, e-cigarette batteries, car batteries, laptop battery packs, mobile phone batteries, power tool batteries, lighters, remote control units)
  • Bathroom furniture*
  • Bicycles
  • Books
  • Cardboard
  • Carpet
  • CDs and DVDs
  • Cooking oil
  • Electrical appliances
  • Engine oil
  • Fluorescent tubes
  • Fridges and freezers
  • Furniture (e.g. sofas, chairs, bookcases etc)
  • Garden waste
  • Glass
  • Hardcore / rubble*
  • Household and garden chemicals
  • Household non-recycling / black-bagged waste
  • Insulation*
  • Lightbulbs
  • Mattresses
  • Mobile phones
  • Mixed recycling (extra kerbside green bin material)
  • Paint
  • Paper
  • Plasterboard*
  • Printer cartridges
  • Scrap metals
  • Soil
  • Spectacles
  • Textiles
  • TVs and computers
  • Vapes (disposable and reusable)
  • Wood and timber (including doors*)

*Accepted but with restrictions on the amount of DIY waste accepted.

Please ensure all recycling is separated out from bagged and non-recyclable waste. Residents bringing in bags of waste may be asked to open them to show staff they do not contain recycling.

The site does not accept (but is not limited to) the following; uPVC windows and doors, car parts (except those listed above), tyres, invasive species (eg. Japanese Knotweed), clinical waste including sharps, large scale DIY waste or asbestos, explosives and ammunition, medicines, separate food waste and vehicle fuel. To dispose of these please contact specialist disposal companies.

Only household waste, from the every day running of a household, is accepted at site. If you are unsure if your waste is classed as household, please contact us. Landlord waste is not accepted, for information on disposal of waste from rental properties please refer to the Waste from Rental Properties document.

Asbestos disposal

In the first instance, we encourage householders to dispose of all types of asbestos through a specialist licensed contractor (visit the ARCA website to find a contractor) as asbestos must be removed and disposed of in a controlled and safe manner. Peterborough City Council offers residents a disposal service at no cost for small quantities of cement-bonded asbestos as a result of household maintenance or repair carried out by the homeowner themselves. This service may apply (but is not limited) to one option from the following - one or two (depending on size) small sheets, a single down/waste pipe, flue or gutter no longer than 2.2m, one water tank etc.

A charged for service is offered for amounts over the small quantities we accept free of charge but is not in excess of (typically depending on size) 6 sheets, 6 pipes etc. If the total amount of asbestos exceeds the amount we can accept free of charge, we would not accept any of the asbestos free of charge and the full amount will be chargeable as this is not defined as household waste. If you have more asbestos than we can charge for, we will not accept any of the asbestos even if you have carried out this work yourself. Only one application will be accepted in a 12 month period unless the applications do not exceed the maximum asbestos in which we can charge for (e.g. 2 applications within 12 months may be accepted if they do not total 6 sheets, 6 pipes etc  - charges will apply). All applications are assessed on an individual basis.

If you have paid a contractor/tradesperson to carry out work and/or dismantle structures containing asbestos it is their responsibility to remove this material from your property and dispose of it safely. Waste produced as a result of business activity is classed as controlled waste, and under no circumstances will this waste be accepted at the Household Recycling Centre.

To apply to dispose of asbestos, please complete our online form. Please ensure a valid email is provided as in the first instance correspondence will be via email from a member of our Waste Management Team.

WasteFromRentalProperties191KBpdf
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Vans and other large vehicles

Vehicle size restrictions

  • The council has a duty to ensure that the HRC is operated safely and with minimum risk to the public, site operators and council staff. Vehicle size restrictions are for health and safety reasons. Site managers reserve the right to refuse entry to vans and cars with trailers, or other large vehicles, which present a risk to safety on the site at that time, in particular when the site is busy.
  • Vehicles no larger than a long wheel base transit type van are allowed into the HRC. Those vehicles not permitted include (but are not limited to) Luton type box vans, extra long wheel base vans, horse boxes, caravans and large flatbeds.
  • No trailer beds over 8 feet 6 inches (2.5 metres) in length will be allowed into the HRC at any time.
  • All vans and trailers within the size restrictions are required to apply for an e-permit.

Vehicle e-permits

Information for owners of vans and trailers requiring e-permits:

  • All residents visiting the HRC using a van or trailer (size restrictions apply) must apply for an e-permit
  • Regular usage of the site may be looked in to by our Prevention and Enforcement Service
  • Only one e-permit per household is allowed. Only one vehicle can be on one e-permit at any one time. If you help friends or family, you will need to use your own e-permit to do this.
  • E-permits will be valid for 12 visits in a 12 month period. If you hire a van, your e-permit is valid for three visits.
  • If you have any queries, please email recycling@peterborough.gov.uk.

Householders' waste disposal Duty of Care

As a householder, you have a legal obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure that your waste is disposed of properly.

The Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations require all householders to make sure their waste is only removed from their premises by registered waste carriers. 

Unlicensed carriers may be tempted to illegally dump, or 'fly-tip', the waste they collect in order to avoid the charges for proper disposal. Not only does this harm the environment but the Council Tax payer has to fund the costs of clearing up the waste dumped on public land, and landowners have to bear this cost themselves if waste is fly-tipped on private land.

Rogue waste carriers are more likely to use social media sites such as Facebook to offer their services.

Householders are encouraged to think carefully about whom they give their waste to, and not simply choose the cheapest option. We will take action against any householder who has not taken reasonable measures to ensure their waste is passed on to an authorised person.

Check before your waste is collected

Whenever you are considering arranging for anyone other than Peterborough City Council to collect any waste from your household, always carry out the following checks:

  • ask to see their waste carrier license - you can check if they are registered waste carriers by searching the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers online or by calling 03708 506 506.
  • record the vehicle registration numbers of any vehicle used to transport your waste.
  • always ask for a proper invoice and receipt.
  • don’t be afraid to ask questions - you have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent someone else dumping your waste unlawfully. Always ask a carrier what exactly is going to happen to your waste and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately. A legitimate, professional waste carrier who wants your business should not object to being asked reasonable questions.

Please note: Always ask for their waste carrier license number and if in doubt check their details with the Environment Agency - it is you that could face a fine of up to £5,000 if you do not and your waste ends up dumped illegally.

Reporting a suspicious waste carrier

Please contact us with the following information:

  • company name or name of sole trader who is collecting waste
  • any other contact details known, such as address and phone number
  • description of waste collection activities
  • description of vehicle used to collect waste including vehicle registration number where possible

Business waste

Waste produced as a result of business activity is classed as controlled waste. Businesses are therefore legally responsible for making sure that it is disposed of correctly.

You should contact a waste management company directly to set up a collection service. We have put together a waste directory to help you find a suitable provider.

Find out more on our business waste page.