Planning a trip to the tip?

People using Plymouth’s household waste and recycling centres will be asked to prove they live in the city before being allowed on site.

From 1 July staff at Chelson Meadow and Weston Mill will be asking all those who use the sites for a photo-ID driving licence with a Plymouth address before being allowed to dispose their rubbish.

Staff at both sites will be handing out leaflets explaining the change over the Bank Holiday when large numbers of people are expected to use the facilities.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Brian Vincent said: “We want to give people plenty of warning of these new arrangements, so thought this Bank Holiday weekend would be the best time to start getting the word out.

“If you live in Plymouth all you need to do is remember to bring some ID with you as well as your rubbish and recycling. If you live outside of the city, you need to use the facilities your own council provides.

“We have asked non-Plymouth residents to use recycling centres in their own area for some time – now we are making sure that this service is only used by the residents who pay for it.

“People who live in the South Hams or in Cornwall who are unhappy with this arrangement should speak to their councils.”

Devon and Torbay have also introduced similar arrangements to ensure services are only used by those who pay for them.

The new procedure is being introduced as part of a package of changes to ensure the service is as efficient as possible for the residents of Plymouth.

Last September the Council began to take trade waste at Chelson Meadow from companies who are licensed to carry waste. This has generated income for the service which has helped keep costs down the for the Council tax payer.

The Chelson Meadow and Weston Mill Household Waste and Recycling Centre cost £1.35 million to run.

The sites handled a combined total of 36,863 tonnes of waste last year, diverting 28,290 tonnes from disposal.

However, the 8,573 tonnes that was disposed of cost £1,028,760 (£685,840 in landfill tax alone).