The North London Waste Authority (NLWA), which runs the Gateway Road Reuse and Recycling Centre (RRC), is proposing to close the site in November 2024. Before we make a final decision, we are running a consultation to hear your views on the potential impacts of closing the site.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a consultation on the proposal to close Gateway Road Reuse and Recycling Centre?
For a long period of time, reuse and recycling centres were the only option for residents to dispose of and recycle a number of material types and large amounts of waste. Since then, services have evolved, and in recent years the services available to residents have increased and improved significantly. This includes collections of a wider range of materials from the doorstep and alternative places to drop-off certain types of waste.
The financial pressure on north London boroughs and North London Waste Authority (NLWA) is continuing to increase as demands for our services grow and our budgets are continuing to be squeezed. To manage these pressures, NLWA needs to continually review the services we provide to ensure they meet the needs of residents at an affordable price.
We are therefore proposing the closure of Gateway Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in Waltham Forest. The cost of operating Gateway Road is increasing by a significant amount, and as a result, we believe that closing the site would be the right course of action which will enable NLWA to continue delivering services at great value to residents.
Before we make a decision on the future of Gateway Road, we want to hear residents’ views on how a proposed closure could impact them. To enable this, we are running a 6-week consultation, starting on 31 July and finishing on 11 September.
How can I take part in the consultation?
The easiest way is to complete the online survey. Questions include closed and open response fields to allow you to share your views. We will then collect this information to inform our final decision on the future of the site.
You can also ring to request someone to take you through the survey over the phone (020 8489 5730) and paper copies are available on site or by request (post@nlwa.gov.uk). For some part of the consultation period, a staff member will be available on-site to assist residents unable to complete the form by themselves.
The survey will remain open until 11.59pm 11 September.
If a decision is made to close Gateway Road, when would it be expected to close?
If we take the decision to close Gateway Road RRC, we would expect the site to close in early November 2024.
What will happen to the staff at Gateway Road if it were to close?
Bywaters have confirmed that if Gateway Road were to close, they have adequate vacancies within their wider operation to make suitable alternative offers of employment to all current Gateway Road colleagues.
Where else can I take my waste and recycling if Gateway Road were to close?
The closest alternative RRC to Gateway Road is South Access Road, which is located approximately 1.9 miles away, around seven minutes by car or 11 minutes by bicycle.
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In addition to South Access Road, north London residents have the ability to use any other RRC within the north London area, including the brand new Edmonton EcoPark RRC which opened in July.
There are also a number of other options available for various items, including arranging for them to be collected from your property, or taking them to designated drop-off points.
If you want to recycle electrical items:
- Small electricals can be brought to a number of drop-off points, many of which are nearby to Gateway Road, or even closer to your home. These locations can usually be found in supermarkets and other large stores. Some of the closest points to Gateway Road RRC include:
- Currys – Leyton, Unit C Leyton Mills Retail Park, Leyton, E10 5NH
- B&Q – Leyton, Units A&B - Leyton Mills Retal Park, Leyton, E10 5NH
- John Lewis – Stratford, Westfield Stratford, E20 1EL.
- You can search online for more drop-off points.
- There are also many on-street recycling banks for electricals across north London. Use our webpage to find locations of these on-street electrical recycling banks.
- If you live in Waltham Forest, you can place small electricals (no bigger than 52cm x 51cm in size) in a carrier bag on top of your recycling bin on your regular collection day, free of charge. Visit the Waltham Forest council website for more information.
- Large electrical items can be collected from your home by your local authority. Your local authority may charge for booking this service.
- If you live in Hackney, you can use Hackney council’s bulky waste collection service to have large electricals collected from your home.
- If you live in Waltham Forest, you have access to free collection of large electrical appliances from your home. Visit our webpage to book large electrical collections.
If you want to recycle textiles:
- Textiles in reusable condition can be brought to a number of drop-off points, which are located in many places across north London. Some of the closest points to Gateway Road RRC include:
- Grange Park Road, Leyton, E10 5EP
- Salvation Army Clothing Donation Bank, ASDA Store, 1 Marshall Road, Leyton, E10 5NH
- Opposite King Edward Road, Junction Hainault Road/High Road, Leyton, E10 6RT.
- Visit the Recycle Now website for more locations of textile recycling banks.
- Reusable clothes can also be collected directly from your home for free through TRAID - you can book a TRAID collection online.
- If you live in Waltham Forest, textiles can also be collected free of charge alongside your regular recycling collections. All you need to do is place your textiles in a carrier bag on top of your recycling bin on your regular collection day.
If you want to recycle or dispose of bulky items:
- Your local authority offers a bulky waste collection service for items to be collected from your home:
- If you live in Hackney, visit the Hackney council website for details on the cost of this service.
- If you live in Waltham Forest, you have access to a free large household item collection through the local authority. Waltham Forest will collect up to five items for free per booking. Visit the Waltham Forest council website for details of this service.
If your items are reusable or repairable:
- There are many platforms available to give your items away for reuse or repair. Examples include Freegle, Freecycle, Gumtree and more. These websites allow you to list these items online for people who may be interested in them.
- Many charity shops offer free household collections for items that can be donated to their stores. Examples include the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and more.