Proposals to revise the use of recycling centres to North Yorkshire residents to generate savings and improve access are set to be considered by councillors.
Under new plans, owners of commercial-like vehicles would also be allowed up to 12 free visits a year to dispose of their own household waste at the county’s 20 recycling centres.
On Tuesday, (21st October), North Yorkshire Council’s executive will consider the proposals.
If introduced, it is estimated to generate savings of up to £405,000 per year and will improve access due to fewer visitors from outside of the county.
In 2024/25, the sites handled 64,500 tonnes of waste and received 1.6 million visits. An average of one in six users are not residents of North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, said:
“The aim of the review was to identify savings to help achieve a balanced budget and to deliver efficient and effective services.
“We believe that the proposals strike a balance between keeping the service free and easy to use for residents, while making significant savings.
“We have found that most neighbouring local authorities restrict access for non-residents and set limits on commercial-like vehicles.
“The experience of these councils, along with independent research, does not result in increased fly-tipping, although we will continue to monitor the levels.”
A 12-week consultation, which concluded last year, received 3,000 responses.
Of these, 69 per cent were in favour of restricting access to North Yorkshire residents, and 61 per cent supported setting the limit for commercial-like vehicles at 12 visits per year.
Under the plans, residents would register by providing their name, address, and vehicle registration, which would be checked when visiting the sites. Around 70 per cent of local authorities have implemented similar schemes.
Currently, the council operates a registration scheme that requires residents using commercial-like vehicles to pre-register before they visit.
Once registered, there is no restriction on the number of visits, meaning that the council is likely to be accepting commercial waste free of charge for which it has no obligation to do so.
It is estimated that a limit of 12 per year would see a reduction of 36,000 visits.
If the plans are adopted, the council will ensure residents across North Yorkshire are aware of the changes and what they need to do to use a household waste recycling centre.
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