There is no charge to book, but you need to make a booking each time you visit.* Please remember, recycling centres only accept household waste.
Book your slot to visit in a car
*Blue Badge holders, pedestrians and cyclists are not required to make a booking.
You can watch a quick tutorial of how to make a booking here.
Recycling centre bookings terms and conditions.
Recycling centre bookings system for vans, pick-ups and large trailers.
Watch our short video on the booking system.
When making the booking, select the recycling centre you wish to visit. Once you have chosen your recycling centre, a calendar will appear displaying the time slots. Fully booked slots will be greyed out, and available slots will be green. You can also view the capacity of each slot in the bottom right-hand corner of the time slot so you can see how busy each slot is.
Once your booking is complete you will receive a confirmation email. Please bring the booking confirmation and proof of address. Only residents of the Essex County Council area* will be allowed access. If you are unsure of your local council area you can check here.
* Residents from nearby areas in Suffolk or Hertfordshire can also visit the sites. This is thanks to reciprocal partnerships with Suffolk County Council and Hertfordshire County Council allowing cross-border use. Essex residents wishing to visit a Hertfordshire recycling centre will need to apply for a free annual permit.
If you have limited internet or accessibility issues that may restrict you from booking your slot online, there are alternative options to book a slot. In the first instance, could you receive assistance from a friend, family member, colleague, carer or neighbour? Alternatively, you can phone the Essex County Council contact centre on 0345 743 0430 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm who will make the booking on your behalf.
Please note:
If you would like to cancel your booking, the booking confirmation email contains a link called 'return to my booking'. If you click this link, you will be able to follow the instructions to cancel your booking.
A booking process was trialled for all vehicles visiting all Essex County Council recycling centres from March - December 2023. Over 18,000 people responded to a public consultation about the future of the booking process at recycling centres. A formal decision was taken on 27 February to keep the booking process at all sites permanently.
Read the full evaluation and supporting documents.
Find your nearest recycling centre
Recycling centre bookings terms and conditions
Recycling centre booking system for vans
Further background on the trial booking process and evaluation