Recycling Village (tip)

You can use the Recycling Village (tip) to recycle household items.

You cannot use this service to recycle business waste. See information for business and trades people.

You must live in South Tyneside to use the Recycling Village.

See how to book a slot.

Visits to the Recycling Village have changed.

You need to book a slot to visit the Recycling Village (tip).

There is no charge for booking a slot.

Book a slot

Book a visit to the Recycling Village (tip)

If your vehicle needs a permit you will need to apply for a new permit before you can book a date and time to visit.

If you are visiting in a car

Your allowance

If you are visiting in a car, you will be able to book up to 4 visits per calendar month.

You can use more than 1 slot on the same day if you want to.

Your allowance will be based on your address and vehicle registration number:

• you cannot book more than 4 slots per calendar month for your address, even if you have more than one car
• if you have used all of your allowance for the month, you cannot book a slot for the same vehicle using a different address
• if you use your vehicle on behalf of someone else, this will count against your allowance

Your allowance will not roll forward if you don't use all of your available slots for the month.

Checking how many slots you have left

If you provide an email address, you will get a confirmation email every time you book, which will include your booking reference number and the number of slots you have used.

If you book online, you will also be reminded of how many slots you have used when you book.

If your vehicle needs a permit

The permit system has changed.

You will need to:

• apply for a new permit
• use your new permit to book slots to visit the Recycling Village

See Recycling Village permits

If you are visiting in a hire car

If you are visiting in a hire car, you will need to show a copy of your hire agreement when you visit.

If you need to change or cancel your booking

See how to cancel a slot.

When you visit

• Please have your booking reference number handy.
• If you are visiting in a hire vehicle, you must bring a copy of the hire agreement when you visit.
• Please arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before your slot start time:
  • If you arrive too early, you will need to wait until the time you have booked to enter.
  • If you turn up too late, you will not be allowed to enter.
• If you have booked and you can no longer visit in the vehicle you booked with (for example, if your car won't start), you will be able to use another car from your household. Please let the staff at the Recycling Village know when you visit.

If you don't attend

If you book a slot and don't attend, your booking will still be counted against your allowance.

You may be temporarily restricted from accessing the site if you regularly book slots and do not attend.

If you need to change or cancel your booking

If you have booked and can no longer attend, please cancel your slot as soon as possible so your slot can be given to someone else.

If you don't cancel, your booking will still be counted against your allowance.

If you need to change the time or date of your visit, please cancel your slot and book another slot.

If you don't attend

If you book a slot and don't attend, your booking will still be counted against your allowance.

You may be temporarily restricted from accessing the site if you regularly book slots and do not attend.

Which vehicles can visit

The type of vehicle you drive affects if you can visit the Recycling Village and if you need to get a permit.

You can visit the Recycling Village in a van (including those with flatbeds) between 9.30am to 11am. You need a permit.

Vehicles that can visit without a permit

Vehicles that can visit with a permit

Vehicles that are not allowed on site

Hire vehicles

If you're visiting with a hire van, you must provide a copy of your hire agreement on entry. This will be used to certify your waste permit. If you don't have the hire agreement, you will be refused entry.

Please ensure you have secured a slot prior to hiring a car or a van to avoid being unable to attend on the day of hire.

Some vehicles need a permit to visit the Recycling Village.

This is to make sure that businesses and trades people (including landlords and property developers) do not use the Recycling Village.

See information for businesses and trades people.

Vehicles that need a permit

You only need a permit to visit the Recycling Village if you are using a:

• Car with trailer (car and trailer must be no more than 5.5 metres in total length)
• Van
• Van with trailer (van and trailer must be no more than 5.5 metres in total length)
• 4x4 with no back windows or back seats
• Pick-up truck (covered or uncovered)
• Car-derived van - for a description of what this means, visit GOV.UK: Car-derived vans
• Campervan
• Minibus

Some vehicles are not allowed to use the Recycling Village. See which vehicles are allowed.

Cost

Permits are free of charge.

How to get a permit

Step 1 - Apply for a new permit

If your vehicle needs a permit, you will need to apply for a new permit. Permits booked through e-services cannot be used on the new booking system.

Your new permit will be valid for 1 year. It will allow you to book up to 12 slots per year to visit the Recycling Village.

You will get a new permit number which you will need to quote every time you book a date and time to visit.

Apply for a permit

Step 2 - Book a slot

When you have a new permit, you will be able to book a slot to visit the Recycling Village.

Book a visit to the Recycling Village (tip)

Your allowance

You can apply for 1 permit per address.

Your permit will allow you to book up to 12 visits per year.

Your allowance is based on your address and vehicle registration.

This means you cannot register the same vehicle under different addresses.

If you are visiting in a hire vehicle

If the vehicle you are hiring needs a permit, you will need to apply for a permit before you book a slot to visit.

You will need to show a copy of your hire agreement when you visit.

If you need to change the registration on your permit

You can change the vehicle registration on your permit. Follow the instructions on your permit confirmation email.

Checking how many slots you have left

If you book online, you will be able to see how many slots you have left before you book.

If you provide an email address, you will get a confirmation email every time you book, which will include your booking reference number and the number of visits you have left on your permit.

When your permit expires

Your permit will expire 12 months from the start date shown on your permit. You will then be able to apply for another permit.

We are now accepting the full range of waste we did before lockdown.

You can bring:

• bagged general household waste
• garden waste
• cardboard
• wood and bulky waste such as old furniture
• small domestic appliances (e.g. vacuum cleaners, toasters, kettles, microwaves, lawnmowers etc.)
• TVs
• larger electrical appliances
• scrap metal
• soil
• rubble (6 bags max limit)
• plasterboard
• textiles
• gypsum
• mattresses
• carpets
• batteries (see where else you can recycle batteries)

When visiting the Recycling Village

• separate your waste before you come - this will speed up your visit
• plastic bags cannot go into the skips - you can leave any plastic bags in a bin at the end of each aisle which is there specifically for them
• please put the right material into the right container

Cars

We are open from 9am to 6pm, every day (except Christmas Day).

Last entry for cars is 5.50pm.

Vans

Vans with a permit can book slots between 9.30am to 11am.

The Recycling Village is based near Middlefields Industrial Estate on Throckley Way, in South Shields. 

[googlemap title="Middlefields Recycling Village" location="Middlefields Recycling Village" expand]

The Recycling Village is for personal use only.

Businesses and trades people (including landlords and property developers), cannot use the Recycling Village for disposing of commercial or hazardous waste.

This is illegal, and costs the Council and taxpayer money to dispose of this waste. If you do bring commercial waste into the Recycling Village, you may be liable for prosecution.

If you need to dispose of commercial waste, it can be disposed of at the Middlefields waste transfer station, call 0191 427 7000.

See more about business waste.

The Groundwork shop, based at the Recycling Village, sells recycled and donated furniture and household goods.

How it works

We take in a variety of donated goods, safety check and clean them before putting them on sale. 

The profit from sales is donated to local environmental regeneration charity, Groundwork South and North Tyneside, to fund community projects around South Tyneside. 

The shop is a unique way for you to support social and environmental enterprise in South Tyneside. 

For information about our current stock, call us on 0191 455 5517 or follow us on Facebook: The Groundwork Shop.

Opening times

The shop is now open.

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm

How to donate items

You can donate items during the shop opening times.

You cannot leave items outside - this is fly tipping and is a crime.

Price guide

These prices are a guide. Actual prices and availability may vary. 

• Washing machine, £100 to £150
• Television, £10 to £80
• DVD, £5 to £12
• VHS, £5
• Wardrobe, £10 to £25
• Dining table, £10 to £50
• Dining chairs, £8 to £10 set (4 chairs)
• Coffee table, £5 to £10
• TV stand, £4 to £25
• Bike, £10 to £30
• Settee, £30 to £110
• Armchair, £10 to £25
• Compost (bag), £6
• Computer table, £5 to £10
• LCD monitor, £10 to £30
• Hi Fi, £7 to £15
• Tumble dryer, £60 to £120
• Cabinet, £8 to £20
• Exercise equipment, £5 to £30

For more about Groundwork South and North Tyneside projects, contact The Eco Centre, Windmill Way, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, NE31 1SR, or call 0191 428 1144. 

• You must be a South Tyneside resident to use the facility
• You must have an appointment to use the facility 
• You must attend in a vehicle which is permitted to use the site for domestic purposes
• If you miss your slot, then you must book another appointment for another time (at the discretion of the site manager)
• You can only dispose of the categories of materials set out as being eligible on the Council website
• You may not visit the site on foot
• You must always comply with the instructions of the staff at the site
• The Council may close the site for operational reasons without notice
• You are responsible for your vehicle whilst attending the facility.  The Council does not accept any liability for damage caused to your vehicle by a third party whilst visiting

1. Introduction

This notice provides additional privacy information regarding bookings at the Recycling Village.

We will keep our privacy notice under regular review and will advise you of any updates on our website.

This Notice was last reviewed in July 2021.

2. Who we are

For the purposes of Data Protection legislation, South Tyneside Council is the Data Controller

3. What type of personal information do we collect?

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Name
• Address
• Vehicle registration
• Vehicle type
• Email address

4. How do we collect personal information?

We may collect your personal information in a number of ways, for example:

• In person
• In writing - for example letter or email
• Telephone calls
• Online forms
• Family members acting on your behalf

5. Why do we collect your personal information?

Information collected will be used to book slots at our Recycling Village.

The Council will use the information provided to count the number of times the site is used in order to monitor trends by vehicle types and determine peak times.

The Council will use the contact details provided to contact individuals who have not attended their booked appointment.

The Council will also monitor any misuse or illegal use of the facility.  The Council may ban individuals who misuse the site and may pass details on to the police if a criminal offence has occurred.

6. Who might we share your personal information with?

The Council will share vehicle registrations, types of vehicle and booking slots with Suez, who are the third-party service provider operating the village on behalf of the Council.  We will not share your personal information with any other third parties unless you have specifically asked us to, or if we have a legal obligation to do so.

7. How long will we keep your personal information?

We will hold your personal information for 3 years.  At the end of this period, it will be deleted unless there is any special reason for keeping it. The data relating to vehicles/individuals banned from site may be stored longer, until any ban is no longer enforced.

8. What is our legal basis for using your personal information?

To use your personal information there must be a lawful basis to do this, such as, through a contract, performing a public task or where there is a legal obligation. 

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing this information is:

(e) We need it to perform a public task.

The personal data is processed for the purpose of collecting household waste in accordance with the duty placed on the Council in Section 45 (1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The application facilitates for resident being able to do this in a controlled and safe manner.  Whilst also providing a more robust means of identifying illegal use of the Recycling Village by Tradesmen/Businesses etc.

9. How do we keep your personal information secure?

Information provided is held securely on our network.  Only authorised officers have access to these records.

10. Is your personal information used overseas?

Your personal data is not processed overseas. We will not process your personal information outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).

11. What are your rights?

Your individual rights are set out in law.  Subject to some legal exemptions, you have the following rights:

• Right to be informed
• Right of access
• Right to rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object
• Rights in relating to automated decision making and profiling

12. Contact us

If you would like to exercise your rights in relation to your personal information, or you feel that something has gone wrong with your personal information, you can contact us in either of the following ways:

By email: data.protection@southtyneside.gov.uk

By telephone: 0191 424 6539

In writing:

South Tyneside Council
Information Governance
Town Hall and Civic Offices
South Shields
NE33 2RL

If you feel that the Council has not handled your information correctly you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). 

The ICO is the Government's Independent Body responsible for overseeing data protection.

In most cases the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the Council's internal procedures.