DIY waste

What DIY waste is, what to do with DIY waste, what to do with plasterboard.

What DIY waste is

DIY waste, also known as construction and demolition waste, is large amounts of waste created from building or renovation work in your home or garden.

Examples of DIY waste includes:

bathroom and kitchen remodels
full decking
fencing projects
plasterboard

By law, DIY waste that you produce through building or renovation work in your home or garden is not classed as 'non-household waste' and the Council does not collect this type of waste.

See what you can and can't dispose of at a household waste recycling centre (HWRC).

What to do with DIY waste

You can hire a skip or use a private waste disposal contractor to dispose of DIY waste. A full list of registered waste carriers can be found at Registered Waste Carriers and Brokers (sepa.org.uk). You should ask for proof of disposal to ensure your waste is being disposed of in accordance with their Duty of Care.

Any tradesperson carrying out work in your home or garden, like a gardener or builder should dispose of the waste created themselves. They can't take it to a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), no matter what type of waste it is.

It is your responsibility and theirs to ensure they dispose of this waste through a registered waste contractor, in accordance with their Duty of Care.

What to do with plasterboard

You can no longer recycle or dispose of plasterboard at our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

If you have building materials you need to get rid of, consider one of these options:

go to online sites like Freecycle and Freegle to give it away for free
try advertising your surplus building materials online at sites such as eBay or Gumtree
ask family and friends if they need them for any building projects they have planned
check locally - a community project near you may have a use for your building bits and pieces
advertise in local papers, shop windows or on community noticeboards
arrange for a skip to be delivered to your home to dispose of your building materials by a waste disposal company.