Gateway Road Reuse and Recycling Centre is now closed.
Request
I am a resident in the Oakleigh Ward and I wish to bring to attention the ridiculous situation in trying to dispose of bulky items.
Prior to the covid restriction I was able to attend Summers Lane recycling facility at any time it was open to dispose of household goods. I did not have to report to anyone or present documents to prove my identity and address.
I wish to dispose of a bed and matress at the above facility.
To do so I need to book and it is almost a 3 week wait for a slot, we wonder why fly tipping is increasing. To be able to enter the site I have to bring my passport or driving license and my council tax bill.
....... it is objectionable and concerning that I have to present papers and documentation ........ There is no policy on the booking site of what the council want this data for.......
Response
The North London Waste Authority (NLWA), like other authorities across the country first closed all the north London reuse and recycling centres (RRCs) in north London in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic last Spring. Like many other aspects of society the RRCs were gradually re-opened but in a more restricted way than pre-pandemic. One aspect of these restrictions is to restrict the number of visitors coming onto each site, this is in order to protect the health and safety of both residents and staff. The booking system is the way we do this. There is availability to visit Summers Lane RRC, even over this bank holiday weekend.
The reason we ask residents to provide proof of residency is to prevent traders from disposing of waste at the RRCs. Traders must pay to dispose of their waste and they are not permitted on the site either, so by asking people to provide a passport or driving licence this ensures we only accept genuine visitors. All north London residents can visit any of the north London sites, with the exception of Enfield. Our website at https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/places-to-recycle provides more details of what is accepted at each site, opening hours and a link to the booking system.
