Norfolk County Council lifts charge on dumping household DIY waste

Caister Waste and Recycling Centre, near Great Yarmouth, can accept waste from householders who have carried out work on their homes

Residents will now be able to get rid of small amounts of DIY waste for free.

Charges were brought in six years ago for anyone who wanted to dump rubbish from home and gardening projects at Norfolk's waste and recycling tips.

But the government has now dropped the fees for people getting rid of certain types of waste at the centres.

"Every householder can bring two 50 litre sacks or one item for free, four times in four weeks," said Kate Murrell, of Norfolk County Council.

"Anything additional to that will still have a charge."

Ms Murrell, the council's waste reduction and recycling manager, added that materials which included rubble and old doors, along with kitchen and bathroom units, would be taken at most of the county's waste centres, but people should check the website to see what would be accepted.

She said the local authority had charged for DIY waste as it was a costly process which involved "quite heavy materials" that had to be "transported and disposed of and recycled".

The council will now consider if extra staff and vehicles were needed to process DIY waste following the nationwide change.

It will also look at neighbouring local authorities - with Suffolk operating a booking system - to see how other areas manage DIY waste.

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The move, which came into force in Norfolk on 31 December, has been welcomed by the Country Land and Business Association.

"It's very good news for residents who used local recycling centres but also for farm and landowners who ended up bearing the brunt of illegal fly-tipping that's dumped on their land," said Mark Riches speaking on behalf of the association.