Proof of residency rule at HWRC sites

From 1 April 2019 all residents must present a valid driving licence to access your local household waste recycing centre.

This is because we are experiencing misuse of our sites by non residents of the Caerphilly county borough. This is costing Caerphilly Council a lot of money to dispose of this extra waste.

If you are not a resident of Caerphilly county borough you will be required to use sites in your area as follows:

Frequently asked questions

What does this all mean? 

Residents disposing of household waste at any of Caerphilly county borough’s Household Waste Recycling Centres will now have to provide proof of residency in order to use the facilities. 

When does it come into force? 

From Monday 1 April 2019. 

What is the purpose of these checks?

The purpose of these checks is to control the significant amount of traffic coming to our 6 sites from people living outside of Caerphilly county borough. This misuse of our sites has resulted in the Council having to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds of extra disposal charges and also causing unnecessary congestion from people travelling to us from outside our area. 

What form of ID will be accepted?

You will need to present one of the following forms of ID each time you visit one of our sites:

• A photo card drivers licence. This document specifies an address and therefore makes it a practical, efficient and effective way of checking residency
• Old style paper driving licence. This needs to be accompanied by your most recent council tax bill and passport
• If you do not have a driving licence you may present your concessionary bus pass together with a recent council tax bill showing your current address.

Will I be allowed to use the sites if my ID has an old address outside of the Caerphilly county borough? 

No. Unfortunately you must have a valid ID that shows that you currently live in the Caerphilly County Borough. It is also a legal requirement to ensure your address is up to date on your licence. 

Will I be able to use the sites using an expired driving licence?

No. Unfortunately the ID has to be valid to dispose of waste at our recycling centres.

When I show my drivers licence, will my details be recorded and stored?

No. Your details will not be recorded or stored when you present your ID. We only request a visual inspection of your driver’s licence to prove that you live in the Caerphilly county borough.

My ID is old and the address isn’t clearly visible, can I still use the sites?

No. Unfortunately, the address and photo must be clearly visible. 

I only have the paper counterpart to my licence, can I use the sites?

The paper counterpart to a driving license has had no legal status since 8 June 2015. However, paper driving licenses issued before 31 March 2000 are still valid.  If this is the case you will also need to bring a council tax bill along with the paper license plus your passport.

What if I am not a Caerphilly county borough resident but need to dispose of waste on behalf of a relative who lives in the area but doesn’t drive? Or for an elderly/disabled resident?

Initially you will be refused entry and asked to put your request in writing to us.  You will need to provide the name and address of the person whose waste you are carrying, along with their most recent council tax bill. You will also need to provide your name, address and vehicle registration number. 

What if my licence has been sent off to the DVLA/Police?

You may use the site if you have a letter from the DVLA/Police to show they have requested your licence plus a copy of your most recent council tax bill

What will happen if I am refused entry and leave waste outside the site?

This action is illegal.  All of our sites have CCTV and are under surveillance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Anyone caught fly tipping will be liable to a £400 fixed penalty fine.

Will I be able to dispose waste if I live in the borough but the waste is from a nursing home / other business?

Our sites only accept household waste.  Waste from a business or a company comes under commercial waste, which is prohibited on our sites.  We offer a weekly commercial waste collection service. Visit our commercial waste section for details.

Is Caerphilly county borough the only area that asks for proof of residency at Household Waste Recycling Centres? 

No. Proof of residency is commonplace at local authority Household Waste Recycling Centres across the country. A number of our neighbouring councils have a similar rule.