TIPS across Gwent are to re-open next week, but there will be new rules in place to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Recycling centres have been closed during lockdown, but will re-open in Newport, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly from Tuesday, May 26.

Monmouthshire council is re-opening its two sites in Llanfoist and Five Lanes, Caldicot, but the Mitchel Troy and Usk centres will remain closed.

Here’s what you need to know if you plan to visit sites across Gwent.

Newport:

Residents wishing to use the Docks Way Household Waste Recycling Centre must pre-book their slot using the council’s online booking system or over the phone.

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The site will be operating a no booking, no entry policy: anyone turning up to the site without having first booked a slot will be refused entry.

Access to the HWRC will be from the westbound direction of the Southern Distributor Road only (travelling from the city centre towards the Office for National Statistics). Residents with a booking are asked not to turn up until 15 minutes before their allocated slot, to avoid a large build-up of traffic outside the centre.

A number of new rules will be in place once the centre reopens to help mitigate against the potential spread of Covid-19. These include:

  • Anyone self-isolating with Covid-19 symptoms, or living with someone who is, will not be admitted.
  • No vans or trailers will be allowed on site.
  • No textiles will be accepted.
  • No assistance will be given to offload materials from site staff.
  • Each vehicle should have only the driver, and no passengers.
  • Social distancing measures should be adhered to at all times.
  • Waste must be sorted before you travel, and no bags of mixed waste, which may contain recyclable materials, food or green waste, can be brought to the site. Excess green waste and cardboard may be brought along, providing it is pre-sorted
  • Once on site, residents must dispose of their goods within a 15 minute window. This will allow staff to ensure everyone who has pre-booked a slot can access the site in a timely manner.

Full details are available at newport.gov.uk/hwrc

The easiest way to book a slot is through the council’s website. If you are unable to book online, call 01633 656656.

Torfaen:

Torfaen’s New Inn centre will re-open for general household and garden waste for residents who have pre-booked a time slot to visit.

When visiting the recycling centre:

  • Only cars will be able to access the site to maximise the number of residents who can visit. The council is planning for how vans and trailers can access the site in the future.
  • Recyclable and non-recyclable materials must be sorted at home so they can be placed in the correct bins.
  • Slots must be booked either online or by calling 01495 762200.
  • Be prepared to queue outside of the HWRC.
  • Adhere to social distancing measures in place. Site staff will not be provide any assistance unloading vehicles.
  • Take your own gloves or hand sanitiser with you as it will not be provided on site.
  • Make sure that only one person leaves the vehicle during your visit to the site.
  • You must not visit the site if you or anyone you are living with is in self-isolation or showing COVID-19 symptoms.

Monmouthshire:

Recycling centres at Llanfoist and Five Lanes, Caldicot, will re-open on Tuesday for the public to dispose of small amounts of household waste.

Residents should only visit if their waste is causing a hazard to health and cannot be stored at home.

They must book a slot online before visiting the recycling centre and bring their residents permit/driving licence otherwise they not be allowed to access the site.

Residents who turn up without booking will be turned away.

Mitchel Troy and Usk recycling centres will remain closed.

The council’s site rules:

  • You must not visit the recycling centre if you or anyone you are living with is shielding, in self-isolation or showing COVID-19 symptoms.
  • You should only visit the recycling centre if it is absolutely essential e.g. the waste being stored at home represents a serious health and safety risk.
  • You must book a slot online before visiting and bring your residents permit with you. You will need to display this in the windscreen of your vehicle.
  • Only small amounts of waste will be accepted. Vans or trailers will not be allowed entry. Waste must be sorted before coming to site to speed up your visit.
  • The number of vehicles on-site will be restricted and where possible vehicles should be driver only.
  • You will need to wait at the site entrance until staff allow you in. You must remain in your car whilst queuing.
  • Once the permitted number of vehicles are on site, a one-in, one-out system will be in place.
  • The sites will be very busy and you should expect to queue to access the site.
  • Social distancing measures must be adhered to at all times by both staff and visitors. All site users must adhere to the two metre social distancing rules in place.
  • For the health and safety of all site users, switch off your engines when stationary.
  • Only one person will be permitted outside of their vehicle to unload the waste. No assistance will be given to offload materials by site staff. Bulky items will not be accepted, but collections can be booked with Homemakers Community Recycling, who can collect up to three bulky items from the kerbside outside your home address for £15. Call 01873 857618 for more details.
  • Black bags should only contain non-recyclable waste. Black bags containing food waste and recyclables will not be accepted.
  • Red and purple recycling bags are for provided for recycling at the kerbside only, and will not be accepted at the recycling centres.
  • A new traffic management system will be in place and due to safety concerns, queuing outside of the sites may be restricted. If the queues spill out onto the public highway and cause a risk, the police may move people on. The council is trying to avoid these situations through online booking but residents must also do their best to stay within the rules to avoid being turned away.
  • Staff and fellow residents must be treated with kindness and respect. Any abusive behaviour will be reported to the police and vehicles will be banned from future visits to the site.
  • Bring your own gloves and sanitiser as these will not be provided on site.

Blaenau Gwent:

Residents should continue to use the kerbside collections (waste, recycling, green, nappy / hygiene services) to dispose of their waste.

Householders can only dispose of a small amount of waste to the HWRC if it is essential, meaning if it cannot be stored safely at home and no alternative disposal.

You must book a slot before visiting New Vale HWRC and bring proof of address with you otherwise you not be permitted to access the site. Vehicles which have not booked an appointment prior to arrival will be turned away.

New Vale HWRC Site Guidance and Rules:

  • You must not visit the Recycling Centre if you or anyone you are living with is in self-isolation, showing COVID-19 symptoms or are currently shielding.
  • You should only visit the Recycling Centre if it is absolutely essential.
  • Admissions to site are permitted via the booking system only. Vehicles who have not booked in prior to arrival will be turned away.
  • Only Blaenau Gwent residents will be permitted to site and will need to bring address based identification. Failure to do so may result in refusal of admittance to site.
  • A limited number of vehicles will be permitted on site at any one time to adhere with social distancing measures, so please be prepared to queue and wait before admittance to site. You must remain in your car whilst queuing.
  • Once the permitted number of vehicles are on site, a one-in, one-out system will be in operation.
  • Only one person will be permitted outside of their vehicle at any one time. A second member of the household may attend to assist with the removal and disposal of bulky items but may only leave the vehicle when indicated it is safe to do so by a site attendant. Alternatively, use the Council’s Bulky Waste Collection Service for Bulky Items.
  • No assistance will be given to offload materials by site staff.
  • Only small amounts of waste will be accepted. No vans or trailers will be allowed entry. Waste must be seperated before going to the site.
  • Black bag waste should only contain non-recyclable waste. Black bags containing food and recyclables will not be accepted. You will be asked to open any black bags for inspection by a site attendant to ensure there is no recyclate in the bags. Residents will be limited to depositing up to four black bags of non-recyclable waste only.
  • Textiles will not be accepted.
  • Social distancing measures must be adhered to at all times by both staff and visitors. All site users must adhere to the two metre social distancing rules in place.
  • Staff and fellow customers must be treated with respect and consideration. Any incident/abuse of site staff or other users will not be tolerated, will result in you not being able to book in to visit again and may involve police intervention.

Caerphilly:

All six Household Waste Recycling Centres will begin to reopen to the public from Tuesday, May 26.

Unlike the other Gwent councils, Caerphilly is not using a booking system.

The following HWRC sites will operate under normal summer opening times (9am – 5.30pm):

  • Trehir (Llanbradach) closed every Thursday
  • Penmaen closed every Tuesday and Friday
  • Full Moon (Crosskeys) closed every Sunday
  • Rhymmey closed every Tuesday and Friday
  • Penallta closed every Wednesday and Sunday
  • Aberbargoed closed every Thursday and Monday

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A number of restrictions and limitations will be put in place to ensure the safety of staff and the public, summaried as follows:

  • Traffic management – If queues become excessive, you may be turned away and asked to return at another time or day.
  • Proof of residency – Drivers will be asked to provide the usual forms of ID as proof of residency within the county borough. These should be held up against your closed driver’s window for inspection by staff outside the vehicle.
  • Cars only – No vans or trailers will be allowed.
  • Social distancing – Additional precautions and practices will be required to ensure appropriate social distancing is observed at all times, such as limiting the number of vehicles on the ramps.
  • Limit numbers – Ideally only the driver of the vehicle should be in the car when visiting the HWRC. Anyone displaying symptoms of coronavirus, or who lives with someone who is self-isolating should not visit these facilities
  • Can you lift it? – Staff will not assist with unloading materials, so only bring what you can safely lift and carry. If you have large household items to dispose of, book a bulky item collection
  • Respect staff – Restrictions and additional measures are there to protect everyone and abuse will not be tolerated.