New charges are being introduced for disposing of rubble, plasterboard and tyres at Bath and North East Somerset's recycling centres.

From Monday 24 May, residents will be charged £2 to dispose of a bag of rubble, £4 for a bag of plasterboard and £3.50 for a car tyre. Residents will still be able to dispose of their household waste and garden waste free of charge at all three recycling centres.

Payments need to be made on-line in advance via the website https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/waste/rcwastecharges/ no cash will be taken on site.

Councillor David Wood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services said: "We've seen a big increase recently in the amount of waste from household alterations and building works being brought to our recycling centres. These items are not classed as general domestic waste and if we are to maintain a comprehensive waste service for residents, we can no longer afford to subsidise their disposal for free. We are however keeping our charges as low as possible at cost price for disposal.

"The majority of councils across the country already charge for disposing of such items, including Somerset County Council, North Somerset Council and Dorset.

"It is really important though that people dispose of their waste responsibly and recycle as much as they can. There is no excuse for fly-tipping, it is harmful to the environment and wildlife and we have a zero-tolerance policy. Anyone caught fly-tipping is liable to prosecution with fines of up to £50,000 or five-years imprisonment.

"If residents come across waste that has been fly-tipped it's important they report it to us, so that our Cleansing and Enforcement team can investigate and deal with it promptly or in conjunction with the landowner. You can report it online https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/report-it."

Under current government legislation, DIY waste is classed as 'construction and demolition' waste and falls under the category of 'industrial' waste. By law, councils do not have to accept industrial waste at their recycling centres.

Residents undertaking a large-scale DIY project that will generate significant volumes of waste, are recommended to hire a skip, use the council's chargeable weighbridge service or arrange for alternative private disposal using a suitable licensed company.