Using Medway household waste and recycling centres

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Our household waste and recycling centres will be closed from Tuesday 31 March, until further notice, in line with government advice.

Our household waste collections continue as normal.

Please follow government advice on waste disposal if you are staying at home due to coronavirus.

Keep up to date with services affected by coronavirus (Covid-19).

Household Waste and Recycling Centres

Everyone wanting to visit Medway’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) now need to bring ID with them.

Following further discussions with Kent County Council (KCC) it has been agreed that KCC residents will continue to have access to Medway’s 3 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) after Monday 3 June 2020, for the next 18 months. It will be reviewed after 18 months. 

Earlier this month it was announced that, following KCC’s decision to charge Kent residents to dispose of certain materials at their HWRCs, Medway Council would be making changes to the centres in Capstone, Cuxton and Gillingham to ensure they were only used by Medway residents.

More about changes to waste and recycling centre access.

Medway Council has always been committed to ensuring that Medway residents do not have to pay at any of Medway’s 3 HWRCs.

All residents, wherever they live, will need to bring one form of ID with them if they wish to use the centres. Their full postcodes will be recorded to enable us to identify and monitor usage by KCC residents.

Remember to bring ID

This ID could be a:

  • Council Tax bill from the current Council Tax financial year
  • driving licence (a photocard or paper licence will be accepted)
  • utility bill (gas, electric or water) less than a year old
  • TV licence less than a year old
  • bank or building society statement less than a year old
  • benefits award statement less than a year old
  • letter from HMRC or the home office less than a year old

Please note, a bus pass is not accepted as a form of ID as it does not have your name, address and postcode on it. 

Staff at Medway’s HWRCs will ask residents to show their identification at the entrance of each site.

Why the change has been brought into place

The change follows continued negotiations with KCC. KCC residents will continue to have access to Medway’s three HWRCs after Monday 3 June 2020 for the next 18 months. We have worked positively to find a solution that protects Medway’s residents and benefits our local environment.

How this change could affect the centres

We do expect some delays at our sites at first. But we're committed to providing residents with a high quality service and this will not change.

Our contractor will dispose of the waste as frequently as required.

How ID checks will work

Each time you arrive on site, you'll be met by a staff member in the site entrance office.

The staff member will ask to see your ID and will make a record of your door number and postcode. You will then be allowed into the site regardless of whether you are a Medway or Kent Council Tax paying resident.

Once they've checked your ID it will be returned to you. You'll then be directed through the new automatic vehicle barriers and allowed to dispose of your waste.

Small van bookings at Capstone waste and recycling centre

Medway residents can book small van access to the Capstone site the same way as before. But you will now be asked to provide ID when you arrive at the Capstone site. This service is only for Medway residents, KCC residents will not have access to it.

Where our recycling centres are

Our 3 recycling centres are:

Complaints

We want to make accessing the sites as easy as possible for Medway residents. We understand that this change in procedure may cause some inconvenience to site users. 

If you're unhappy, you can make a complaint: