Household Waste and Recycling Centre Re-Opening

The HWRC at Longue Hougue reopen today (30 April) with extended operating hours.

The centre will re-open with extended operating hours but restrictions on what items can be dropped off.

The site has been temporarily reconfigured so islanders and staff can observe social distancing guidelines, which is limiting the materials that can be accepted.

It will only be open for materials to be dropped off for recycling, but will include the most common items. These are:-

 Scrap metal

 Rigid plastics

 Small electric items, incl. computers

 Inert waste (e.g. bricks, stone,
ceramics, etc.)

 Blue and clear kerbside recycling bags

 Bulky cardboard

 Glass

 Food waste

 Domestic appliances

Staff will be unable to take any payments. Therefore general rubbish and other items that can normally be dropped off and paid for, such as wooden furniture, beds, and mattresses, will not be accepted until these can be safely managed. Similarly, items in good working condition that are suitable for reuse will also not be able to be dropped off, so islanders are being encouraged to keep hold of these where possible.

Households that bring items not currently accepted will unfortunately be asked to take them away again.

The site has been shut since 24 March, after restrictions were introduced on all but essential journeys. To help deal with the backlog, operating hours are being extended to include Thursday, when the facility would normally be closed. Opening times will be 8am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am to noon on Sundays. It will be closed on Bank Holidays.

As with the long queues seen at the re-opening of the Chouet green waste site, the HWRC is expected to be very busy for at least the first few days after reopening. Staff will be directing traffic, and there will be a limited number of customers allowed in at any time. Guernsey Waste is therefore requesting Islanders only visit the site this week if they are not able to keep hold of their materials any longer to enable them to cope with the demand.

Site staff will not be able to assist in unloading vehicles, to ensure social distance is maintained. Large or heavy items, such as domestic appliances, goods should only be brought to the site if they can be safely unloaded by those delivering them. Anyone visiting
the site can be accompanied by someone from the same household.

Bring bank sites remain closed at this stage and islanders are encouraged to make full use of the kerbside recycling scheme. There is also no limit to the number of general waste households can set out, provided each one has the appropriate payment sticker applied and is not too heavy for the collection contractors to lift.

The following goods will not be accepted at this time:

 Batteries - household & car

 Bubble wrap and polythene

 CDs, DVDs & VHS

 Clothing & shoes

 Oil (cooking and motor)

 TVs/computer screens

 Fire extinguishers

 Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs

 Gas cylinders

 Printer cartridges

 uPVC windows & doors

 Glass bottles and jars

 Items requiring payment:- General household waste i.e. black bags

o Paint

o Wood

o Furniture (incl. soft furnishings)

o Mattresses