Lancashire residents who want to dispose of non-commercial construction and demolition waste for free at Lancashire County Council’s recycling centres from 1 June are being reminded they need to apply in advance for a permit.
Residents can apply for a free permit allowing them to dispose of up to ten 25kg bags of construction and demolition waste a year without charge. A charge of £3.50 per 25kg bag or equivalent item will be applied for any further waste, or for any waste delivered without a permit. Permits are valid for a calendar year, or until the free allowance has been used.
You can find out more or apply for a permit at www.lancashire.gov.uk/waste or by calling 0300 123 6871.
The council is bringing in the permit system to limit how much construction and demolition waste people can dispose of for free at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC). Residents can apply for a permit from 1 April to be ready for the new system which begins on 1 June.
The council needs to save £315m by April 2018 as a result of unprecedented central government funding cuts, at the same time as costs and demand for services continue to rise. The new policy will help to reduce the estimated £750,000 annual cost of dealing with ‘inert’ waste such as soil, rubble, ceramics such as toilets and sinks, and plasterboard.
County Councillor Janice Hanson, cabinet member for public protection and waste, said: “Our HWRCs are primarily for people to recycle and dispose of normal household waste free of charge, which is a statutory duty for all waste disposal authorities.
“However, our current service also allows unlimited free disposal of wastes which include rubble, soil and plasterboard, amongst others, which isn’t a statutory duty. This is proving very expensive for the council to deal with, and unfortunately something we can’t continue to do in the present financial climate. Many other councils already charge for or place limits on this type of waste.
“The new permit system will encourage people to be responsible by allowing for free disposal of a reasonable amount of this waste, allowing completion of small scale DIY projects without charge.
“At the same time, it provides flexibility for those who want the convenience of depositing this waste without a permit or taking more than the limited free amount, but they will need to pay for this service. However, other options such as skip hire will provide better value for money for people engaged in larger household projects.
“Your permit will be valid until 31 December 2015, and then residents will be entitled to renew their permit for another 12 months. So if you know you will want to dispose of construction and demolition waste in the coming months, please think about applying for your permit now so you’ve got it when you need it.”
If you want to dispose of waste on or shortly after 1 June please allow two weeks for your request to be processed and your permit to arrive.