Household waste disposal
Important notice for householders
Since October 2024 the way we accept upholstered seating at Community Recycling Centres has changed. Please see our upholstered domestic seating webpages for more details about what these items are and how it affects you.
Where you can recycle
There are seven community recycling centres for waste that's been produced from domestic properties:
- Duns
- Eyemouth
- Galashiels
- Hawick
- Peebles (Eshiels)
- Selkirk
- Kelso
For locations and opening times see our online Community Recycling Centre directory.
If you’re using a trailer or large vehicle, you'll need to book a slot. See our Community Recycling Centre booking information webpage for more details.
We also have recycling points in communities for the recycling of glass and textiles. Locations of community recycling sites can be found on our website.
Waste that can be disposed of
The types of items you can dispose of are:
- aerosols
- bikes
- books, cds, dvds etc
- bric-a-brac
- batteries (car and domestic)
- Fire extinguishers - only accept 4kg and under
- fluorescent tubes and lightbulbs
- food tins & drinks cans
- furniture
- fridges and freezers
- garden tools
- garden waste
- gas cylinders/bottles
- glass bottles and jars
- hardcore and rubble (not Selkirk)
- household cooking oil - 23.01.24 – Please note that cooking oil is temporarily not being accepted
- household waste
- large electrical appliances
- paper, newspapers, magazines and cardboard
- plastic packaging
- scrap metal
- small electrical appliances
- textiles and clothes
- TVs and monitors
- upholstered domestic seating
- used engine oil
- wood and timber
Disposing of garden waste
Garden waste must be disposed of loosely in the skip to prevent contamination. If you're using plastic bags to transport the garden waste you can dispose of them separately.
Compost
Sustainably produced and peat free compost can now be ordered from Caledonian Horticulture and then picked up from a number of our community recycling centres. Information can be found on our Compost webpage.
Could your item be reused?
We have set up reuse cabins/areas at several of our recycling centres, which allows you to donate unwanted household items to bring them back into use. Check our Reuse cabins webpage for more details.
Waste we don't accept
- asbestos
- flares and pyrotechnics
- hazardous chemicals inc weedkillers
- tyres
Trade waste disposal
Find information about commercials disposal of trade waste on the following webpages:
- Visit our Trade permits page for details on commercial access to our Community Recycling Centres
- See our Trade access to waste transfer stations webpage
Please note that from July 2024 upholstered seating can not be disposed at Community Recycling Centres by traders.
Further guidance
- waste should be presented in easily managed amounts that can be deposited quickly on arrival at site
- recycling centres may need to temporarily close at short notice in order for skips to be emptied
- If you are visiting Eshiels Community Recycling Centre, please do not queue beyond our ‘no queuing’ signage at the top of the entrance road
- we thank all residents for their patience and cooperation and would ask anyone using our recycling centres to please treat our staff with respect