Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where is my nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC)?
For your nearest site, please see the HWRC page.
What are the HWRCs opening times
Winter Opening and Closing times are 8:00 - 18:00. Summer Opening and Closing times are 8:00 - 20:00. All sites are open 7 days a week apart from Christmas day and New Year’s day.
What can I recycle at my local Household Waste Recycling Centre
Please see the What can I recycle.
What can I do with items which cannot be recycled at the kerbside or Household Waste Recycling Centres in Greater Manchester?
Please visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/materials-a-z.
My bin has not been collected, who can I contact?
Contacts as follows:
• Bolton – 01204 336632
• Bury – 0161 253 5353
• Manchester - 0161 954 9000
• Oldham - 0161 770 6644
• Rochdale - 0845 226 1800
• Salford - 0161 909 6500
• Stockport – 0161 217 6111
• Tameside - 0161 342 8355
• Trafford – 0161 912 2000
Or please refer to the Recycling and Waste Collection in Your area
Why can’t I recycle all plastics?
It is plastic bottles that are currently collected. Technically, almost all plastics can be recycled. However, collection, infrastructure and low market demand are often barriers to the recycling of some types of plastics. Yoghurt pots, for example, are usually made from polypropylene or a blend of different polymer types. These have a very different structure and composition to the PET, HDPE and PVC plastics used for bottles. Applications and market demand for these plastics, particularly mixed plastics, are currently limited. At GMWDA we do not want to encourage people to collect materials until we have established a suitable process and market. This is not however an area that we are standing still on and this area will continue to be looked at within our new contract.
What happens to my recycling?
Please see Where Does it all Go
Why can’t I recycle everything?
We will continue to recycle as much as possible. Our aim in Greater Manchester is to reach at least 50% recycling levels by 2015. We currently recycle around 34%
Recycling waste requires separation of good quality materials to meet the requirements of reprocessors. Some wastes e.g. old paintbrushes and contaminated convenience food packaging do not lend themselves to recycling. We will review the strategy through the course of the contract and introduce new systems to increase recycling as they become available.
Recycling municipal waste requires considerable investment and stable markets for the end product. Even after this has been achieved, a substantial proportion of municipal waste will still remain. Our strategy is to recover as much value from this material through the use of new technologies, while encouraging everybody to focus on reducing their waste and recycling more.
Where can I purchase a compost bin from?
Please visit the following website www.greatermanchester.getcomposting.com or telephone 0845 130 6090. The compost bins are subsidised for residents of Greater Manchester only.
I would like an educational visit to find out more on waste and recycling.
Please visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/waste-education.
What percentage of waste does Greater Manchester recycle and compost?
At present, we currently recycle and compost around 37%. This is set to increase to over 50% by 2015.
Why can’t I take items which can be re-used from a HWRC?
Unfortunately, we are unable to let the public take items away from our HWRCs for a variety of legal and health and safety reasons. Once an item has been brought onto one of our sites it is legally classed as waste and so must be handled as such. The Environment Agency has very clear rules and regulations around waste which are primarily aimed at ensuring that different types of waste are dealt with safely.
However, a number of HWRC's operate furniture and Waste Electricla and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) re-use schemes in partnership with local community orgnisations. For more information please visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com.
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