Tips in Cheshire West and Chester have reopened today after weeks of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In Ellesmere Port there is already a queue to enter the tip on Garth Road.
Queues built up ahead of the sites reopening, but traffic coped well throughout the day.
Cheshire West and Chester Council have said residents should only visit a recycling centre if the journey is absolutely necessary.
This means that if items stored at home cause a health and safety risk such as injury, illness or harm to the household then the trip is essential.
Otherwise you are advised to store your waste safely at home until normal services resume.
Recycling centres in Northwich, Winsford and Neston have also re-opened today.
We will be bringing you the very latest updates and pictures in our live blog below.
Got something to tell us? Comment below or you can tweet us @CheshireLive or message us on our Facebook page here.
Key Events
The household waste recycling centres which are open today
- Chester - Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm - weekends 8am until 6pm
- Ellesmere Port - Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm - weekends 8am until 6pm
- Neston - Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm - weekends 8am until 6pm
- Northwich - Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm - weekends 8am until 6pm
- Winsford - Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm - weekends 8am until 6pm
Frodsham will re-open on Friday May 15
Tattenhall remains closed
What is classed as essential use?
On the council website they say:
Visits which are essential to prevent injury, illness or harm to residents who have a problem with storing too much waste at home.
Not all tips are open yet
Not all tips are back open yet in Cheshire West and Chester.
Tattenhall Recycling Centre will remain closed until further notice due to the nearby roads not being able to cope with large volumes of standing traffic.
A council spokesperson said: "This site is very small and difficult to adopt effective social distancing measures.
"The surrounding road network poses significant highway risks including the nearby hump-backed bridge that restricts the vision of drivers.
"It is not safe for cars to queue on the nearby roads.
"Chester is the nearest site for Tattenhall residents, which is open seven days a week."
Garden waste collections
Cheshire Live has approached Cheshire West and Chester Council for an update on the garden waste collections.
We will provide you with a statement as soon as we hear back.
Important COVID-19 household waste recycling centre rules
- Do not visit a site if you have COVID-19 symptoms or are in self-isolation. If you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms, double bag the waste and keep it at home for 72 hours before disposal.
- Respect the strict two-metre distancing rule around staff and other site users.
- Only visit the recycling centre if it is absolutely necessary i.e. if bulky items stored at home represent a health and safety risk.
- Use your car. No vans, commercial-type vehicles or trailers allowed on site.
- No pedestrian access. Do not walk onto the site.
- Site employees will not be able to assist with unloading your vehicle due to social distancing. Please make sure you are able to lift items and carry them to a skip safely yourself or bring another member of your household with you to help.
- Put your waste in the correct skip, do not mix waste or fly tip.
- Anyone using abusive language or intimidating behaviour towards site staff or other site visitors will be asked to leave
Ellesmere Port recycling centre closure time
The tip on Garth Road in Ellesmere Port will close this evening at 8pm.
Are you currently queuing to enter one of the recycling centres?
Are you currently queuing to enter one of the recycling centres?
Comment with your thoughts on the process below or tweet us @CheshireLive
Council exploring options for garden waste collections
Cheshire West and Chester Council have said they are exploring options for garden waste collection services.
In a response to a question on Twitter, the council said: "We are exploring how we can safely reintroduce the kerbside garden waste collection service.
"More information about this will be provided in due course."
Signs for waiting times are "misleading"
Mark Roberts commented on the situation on Facebook.
He said: "Went to Ellesmere Port household recycling this morning, the signs for waiting times is misleading took one hour and a half hours from the 30 minute sign."
One-in-one-out system across all tips in Cheshire West
The sites across Cheshire West are operating under a one-in-one-out system.
Therefore, it is expected that there will be significant delays.
A Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesperson said
If you must visit, please be patient; we appreciate the wait could be frustrating but be assured that staff are working hard in difficult conditions to get you through as quickly and as safely as they can.
Your waste is being checked in Chester
One driver at the Bumpers Lane recycling centre has said that there are currently no queues.
He has also said that checks are being made at the tip - essential waste only.
Why are the tip sites opening now?
Cheshire West and Chester Council have said the tips have re-opened following the updated Government guidance.
We have put in practical arrangements and can now open our sites in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Winsford, Northwich and Neston, with Frodsham opening three days later.
These sites are open for essential journeys only.
The Tattenhall site will remain closed until further notice due to local roads not being able to cope with large volumes of standing traffic.
The council is following Government and industry guidance and has worked with our contractors, HW Martins, to agree the best approach based on local conditions within agreed safety guidelines.
Your safety, along with protecting our staff, is our first priority and all site users are expected to follow the rules published above.
One motorist has a lot to take to the tip in Chester...
This picture shows how one motorist is taking full advantage of the re-opening of the Bumpers Lane tip.
Note, a fully loaded roof.
The scene at the tip in Chester
Our reporter David Holmes is currently at the recycling centre in Chester where traffic is building.
There are queues to enter the tip on Bumpers Lane.
"We expected it to be much busier", say police
One of our reporters is at the Ellesmere Port tip on Garth Road.
Police at the scene have said they expected it to be much busier here this morning.
The queuing system at the centre is "very organised so far."
Rules for visiting recycling centres today
Cheshire West and Chester Council have these rules in force if you're visiting a tip/recycling centre in the region today:
- Long delays and queues are likely. Please assess if your journey really is essential
- Do not travel to a site in a van, commercial vehicle or with a trailer, you will not be allowed to enter
- The number of vehicles allowed on site at any one time will be restricted due to social distancing, and queuing times will be significantly higher. So please assess if your journey really is essential
- Waste must be separated before travelling to the site
- Please wear gloves if possible to reduce the risk of infections
