Brunel Road Recycling Centre

Van Permit System

A van permit system is in operation at Brunel Road Recycling Centre.

Please check whether your van requires a permit before visiting the site.

Proof of address

Users of Brunel Road Recycling Centre will be asked to show evidence that they live in the Devon County Council area. Sufficient evidence includes a driving licence, current council tax bill, utility bill or a DCC issued bus pass. Please provide original documents and not photocopies.

Opening times

Summer (Apr to Sep)
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 6:00pm

Winter (Oct to Mar)
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 4:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 4:30pm

Open all year round (except Easter Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year’s Day).

In the event of extreme weather conditions the recycling centres may be forced to delay opening or close at short notice, due to potential health and safety risks to site users. We will endeavour to update this webpage and the webpage of the closed recycling centre(s) when required but this may not always be possible. We would advise potential site users to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather. 

Contact details

Brunel Road Recycling Centre
Newton Abbot
TQ12 4PJ
0345 155 1010

This site will not accept waste from Torbay residents

Due to budget reductions, residents of Torbay will no longer be able to use Brunel Road Recycling Centre.

As residents of Torbay pay their Council Tax to Torbay Council, they do not contribute to the running costs of the site. We cannot afford to process waste from outside the county’s local authority area. Therefore only Devon County Council residents are permitted to use this Recycling Centre.

Security staff will be enforcing this restriction. Torbay residents are kindly asked to use Torbay household waste recycling centre located on Tor Park Road, Paignton.

Temporary Site Closures/Delays

Waste loading/skip changes may result in this site (or part of the site) being closed for periods throughout the day. For your own safety, please remain in your vehicle and keep your waste on board until the loading/skip exchange is completed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Assistance

Site staff will aim to provide assistance when reasonable; however they are unable to lift excessively heavy and/or awkward loads. For example, if a bulky/heavy item required 2 or more persons to initially load the vehicle then it will be expected that the same amount of people arrive to help unload the vehicle once on site. Staff are unable to unload waste from a vehicle, but may provide reasonable assistance once the waste is out of the vehicle. Please do not overload bags and ensure bags are only filled in volumes you can safely manage.

Pedestrian Access

This site does not accept pedestrian access.

Re-Use Shop

This site has a reuse shop where reusable goods can be purchased.

Acceptable materials

Please ensure that your waste is separated before arriving at the site.

  • Aluminium and steel cans.
  • Batteries – Household and car batteries (excluding electric vehicle batteries). Alternatively, car batteries can be taken to a scrap metal merchant who may pay you for your battery.
  • Bulky/rigid plastics.
  • Cardboard/Greeting Cards (must be non-glittery).
  • Carpets (not recycled)
  • Clean mixed plastic packaging, for example, food trays and yoghurt pots (must be washed) – black plastic food trays and cling film type packaging are not acceptable.
  • Directories/Yellow Pages.
  • Drinks cartons/Tetra-paks (including paper containers with metal ends).
  • Flat glass.
  • Fluorescent tubes: up to 5 in any 6 month period.
  • Foil/Aluminium packaging (clean aluminium foil/packaging only).
  • Fridges/freezers (Commercial fridges/freezers/air conditioning units are not accepted as well as units from caravans/motorhomes/boats).
  • Garden/green waste (branches up to 250mm or 10 inches in diameter are accepted)
  • Glass bottles and jars.
  • Large electrical appliances, for example, cookers, tumble dryers, washing machines.
  • Light bulbs (recycled with fluorescent tubes).
  • Mattresses (not recycled)
  • Metal (including empty aerosol cans).
  • Other electrical appliances, for example, toasters, lawn mowers, hairdryers, computers and laptops (please ensure all personal data is deleted).
  • Paper, newspapers and magazines (Wrapping paper or any paper containing glitter must not go in the paper bank).
  • Petrol powered lawn mowers and strimmers (must be emptied of fuel).
  • Plastic bottles.
  • Printer cartridges.
  • Soft furnishings/upholstered domestic seating (e.g. sofa, armchair) (not recycled)
  • Textiles.
  • Timber/wood.
  • TVs/computer monitors.
  • Vapes.
  • Vegetable oil

Restricted and non-acceptable materials

Restricted

  • Asbestos
  • Ash (must be cooled and well damped down).
  • DIY waste free allowance: see chargeable waste
  • Excess dustbin/black bag waste – please contact your local district/city or borough council in the first instance. Maximum of 8 bags in a 12 month period.
  • Fluorescent tubes: 5 in 6 month period.
  • Gas bottles.
  • Hazardous waste, including items such as household chemicals (eg pesticides, white spirit, bleach, oil-based paint, mercury thermometers), DIY engine oils, solvents are accepted in restricted quantities: 5 litres.
  • NHS equipment.
  • Night storage heaters – Full appliances will only be accepted and must be double wrapped in tough plastic and sealed. Please see asbestos for more information.
  • Noxious weeds.

Non acceptable

  • Commercial/trade waste. Trade green waste and cardboard is acceptable for a charge at this site by arrangement only, see Trade recycling for further details.
  • Commercial fridges/freezers/air conditioning units are not accepted as well as units from caravans/motorhomes/boats.
  • Dead pets, pet faeces and soiled litter/bedding material. Your local vet will be able to help you with the cremation of dead pets. You may wish to consider a home composting facility for pet faeces or soiled bedding.
  • Electric vehicle batteries.
  • Fireworks (used/unused) – contact the manufacturer for disposal advice.
  • Flares, explosives and ammunition – please see government guidance (flares) or contact your local police station (explosives/ammunition) for disposal advice.
  • Fly-tipped waste
  • Ground/Air source heat pumps.
  • Oil Tanks/Heating Oil Tanks – please see a list of alternative service providers.
  • Railway Sleepers/Utility poles.
  • Sanitary wastes (nappies, sanitary towels)
  • Sewage/contents of drains.
  • Sharps/clinical items: please contact your local district, city or borough council.
  • Vehicles, vehicle parts, boats, caravans, trailers (fridges/freezers from caravans/motorhomes/boats are not accepted).

Chargeable waste

Further information about chargeable waste.

Site health and safety

Further information about site health and safety.

Site user and vehicle restrictions

Further information about site user and vehicle restrictions.

Further information about the van permit system.

Location