Quick answer
Check the opening times and whether you need to book before you load the car. Household rubbish, garden waste and most recycling are usually free, plasterboard and tyres are charged, and some vehicle types are refused. If you have no van or a big load in Swindon, a collection can be simpler.
Swindon HWRC
Nearest site
Run by Swindon Borough Council
Booking required
Booking
No booking, no entry
Vans under 3.5 tonnes
Vans and trailers
Some vehicle types refused
Plasterboard charged
DIY waste
Five 25kg bags per vehicle
Where the Swindon tip isSection titled Where%20the%20Swindon%20tip%20is
Swindon residents use the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) run by Swindon Borough Council. The council's HWRC booking pages describe a single site for the borough and do not publish a street address, so use the confirmation email you receive when you book for directions.
Only people who live in the borough of Swindon can use it, and trade customers are not accepted. The council's where to go and what you can bring page is worth reading before you set off.
Opening timesSection titled Opening%20times
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 8.00am to 4.30pm |
| Wednesday | Closed |
Booking slots run every 20 minutes. The first is 8.00am to 8.20am and the last is 4.00pm to 4.20pm. These details come from the council's before you book page and where to go page. Hours, last entry times and holiday arrangements can change, so recheck the council page before you go.
Do you need to book?Section titled Do%20you%20need%20to%20book%3F
Yes. Every visit must be pre-booked and anyone without a valid booking is turned away. Book through the council's online booking form and choose from the available slots. You will receive a confirmation email, and you bring your QR code with you.
- Slots can be booked up to two weeks ahead, depending on availability, and as late as one hour before.
- You can book as many slots as you need.
- Arrive up to 15 minutes before your slot. If you are more than 15 minutes late you must rebook.
- A maximum of two people can travel in each vehicle.
The council's questions and answers page also explains how to book without a computer. If you cannot attend, amend or cancel so someone else can have the slot.
Vans, trailers and permitsSection titled Vans%2C%20trailers%20and%20permits
The council's before you book page sets out which vehicles can enter:
- Vans use the left lane, and cars towing a trailer with white goods also use the left lane. Other cars use the right lane and the ramp.
- Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, flatbed trucks, tipper vans, caged trucks and vans, and double-axle trailers are not accepted.
- There is no height restriction on vehicles entering, according to the council's questions and answers page.
- Waste from vans and trailers is inspected to check it is not commercial or non-household waste, as the council's what you can bring page explains.
- Staff do not help unload, so bring someone if you need a hand.
The pages we read do not mention a van permit or a limit on visits per year. You do not need to show documents on arrival, only your QR code, but you must live in the borough to book. Ask the council if your vehicle is unusual.
What you can take for freeSection titled What%20you%20can%20take%20for%20free
The council says the HWRC is free most of the time for household waste from your home. Its published list of accepted items includes:
- General household waste and garden waste
- Cardboard, paper, cans, glass, plastic bottles and Tetra Pak cartons
- Scrap metal and wood
- Electrical household products, including fridges and freezers, and personal computers
- Mattresses, carpets and underlay, and textiles
- Batteries, including car batteries, and coffee pods
- Used engine oil
- DIY and hardcore waste, within the limits below
What the tip charges forSection titled What%20the%20tip%20charges%20for
Swindon limits household DIY waste to no more than five 25kg bags per vehicle, in sturdy bags. Two items are charged: plasterboard at £3.50 per sheet or 25kg bag (up to five, with larger amounts charged at commercial rates) and car and motorcycle tyres from homes at £2.80 each. These figures come from the council's where to go and what you can bring page. Nationally, GOV.UK reports that households in England should no longer pay to dispose of small-scale DIY waste at council recycling centres when it meets certain conditions, so it is worth asking the council how that applies before you pay.
Swindon Borough Council HWRC: DIY waste
Household DIY waste only, up to five 25kg bags per vehicle. No rubble or hardcore charge is listed.
Rubble and hardcore
Within the five-bag limit
No charge listed
Plasterboard
Per sheet or 25kg bag, up to five
£3.50
Tyres
Per car or motorcycle tyre
£2.80
Household asbestos
Sealed and wrapped, own property only
No charge
Charges and accepted materials change. Recheck the operator's official page before you load the car.
What the tip will not takeSection titled What%20the%20tip%20will%20not%20take
The council's pages (before you book and what you can bring) say the following are refused or restricted:
- Trade and commercial waste
- Unwrapped asbestos. Household asbestos must be sealed or fully wrapped in plastic sheeting
- Windows with the glass still in. Remove the glass first and bring it separately
- Household chemicals, unless they are in secure, sealed containers
The council's asbestos guidance allows a limited amount of domestic cement-bonded asbestos from your own property: up to 12 sheets, each no larger than 1.5m x 2.5m, with no sealed item over 25kg. You need proof of residency for that.
When it is easier to have it collectedSection titled When%20it%20is%20easier%20to%20have%20it%20collected
A collection is easier when you have no suitable vehicle, no booking slot that fits, a load too big for one trip, heavy furniture or a whole room to clear, or more DIY waste than the five-bag limit allows. Swindon Waste Collection loads from anywhere on the property and takes mixed waste in one visit.
No van, no booking slot?
We collect mixed household rubbish, furniture and garden waste across Swindon, loaded from anywhere on the property, usually the same week.
Tip run or collection?
A few bags or small items and a car
Tip runBook a slot first, as there is no entry without a booking.
You need a van or trailer for it
Check the rules, or book a collectionVans must be under 3.5 tonnes, and flatbeds, tippers and caged vans are refused.
Rubble, plasterboard or other DIY waste
Collection for big loadsThe tip limits DIY waste to five 25kg bags per vehicle and charges for plasterboard.
Heavy furniture, a full room or no time
Private collectionOne visit covers loading, transport and disposal.
Common questionsSection titled Common%20questions
Do I need to live in Swindon to use the tip?Section titled Do%20I%20need%20to%20live%20in%20Swindon%20to%20use%20the%20tip%3F
Yes. The council says you must live in the borough of Swindon and bring household waste, and trade customers are not accepted (source). The council's online booking form is how it manages this, so book before you travel.
Can I take rubble from a DIY job?Section titled Can%20I%20take%20rubble%20from%20a%20DIY%20job%3F
Household DIY and hardcore waste is accepted, limited to five 25kg bags per vehicle in sturdy bags, according to the council's what you can bring page. The pages we read do not mention soil or give a rubble charge, so contact the council's StreetSmart team on 01793 445500 if you are unsure.
Is the tip open on bank holidays?Section titled Is%20the%20tip%20open%20on%20bank%20holidays%3F
The council pages we read only say the site is closed on Wednesdays and do not publish bank holiday arrangements. Check the council's booking page and the available slots before you plan a visit. Council rules and prices change, so recheck the official page before booking.
Related servicesSection titled Related%20services
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