Forum Topic

Help - can't book any slot at Stirling Road Recycling

I'm trying to book a slot to take some recycling to Stirling Road this week which I have done several times this year with no problem.However, the West London Waste site is only allowing me to book at the Space Waye site in North Feltham - nearly nine miles away!  Can anyone help here - is this really the only option now for someone with a W4 address?

Sarah Boulding ● 1972d41 Comments

Seems plenty of availability from June 7th onwards, but nothing before then (that's with a W12 postcode).

Andrew Jones ● 1972d

Ah, thanks Andrew.  I'm surprised they are  booked up every single slot for this entire week, from 8 am onwards...

Sarah Boulding ● 1972d

Could be the half term effect? What better way to spend a holiday than taking stuff to the tip? Or maybe they're taking the kids to the tip.

Susan Kelly ● 1972d

:)

Sarah Boulding ● 1972d

I spoke to the guys when I was there on Sunday - once Covid restrictions are lifted they will go from 3 bays back up to 6, but the booking system will remain in place.For anyone who is interested, their current capacity is 170 cars / day. Doing the maths, this works out at 7 mins on average per car, which does seem a tad on the generous side and probably explains why there are always empty bays whenever I go there.

Simon Tranter ● 1972d

Once restrictions are lifted I don't see the need to keep the booking system. From a safety point of view people are in their cars until they can get in a bay.And with an allowance of 7 mins per car, and with some no-shows  the tip will be able to handle far fewer visitors than if it just reverted to the old system of turning up.Something to put to Ealing council or councillors? (I can't cos I'm in the Hounslow bit of Chiswick.)

David Halliday ● 1972d

I managed to book a slot on friday for yesterdayalthough slots are limited you should keep trying

C Philips ● 1972d

Agreed , I got a cancellation slot last week. Keep looking.

David McLoughlin ● 1972d

I think the booking systems apply to all the West London Waste Authority Household Waste Recycling Centres and others all over the country.https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/councils-weigh-up-hwrc-booking-systems/http://www.westlondonwaste.org.uk/If you can find other legal alternatives for reusing things then it is worth trying them.  You can check electrical stores for take back schemes before you buy something new and can also get unwanted and old beds, mattresses as well as large white goods collected when you have something new delivered from some companies - so check out companies' websites for the details.

Philippa Bond ● 1972d

They seem to be in the middle of updating their websites.  Now that Neighbourhood Recycling Centres are no longer available anybody who does not have kerbside collections from home should be contacting the Councils to ask why - and making friends with neighbours would also be useful!

Philippa Bond ● 1972d

Petit Miracles will often collect small pieces of furniture for upcycling - pieces that some charities don't have room for because they are not perfect and need a bit of TLC. They are a charity.  If you check the West London Waste Authority website (post above) you will find other charities that collect too.A friend moving house recently took some decent but old bedding to Greenford but said there was nowhere to put it but the waste (expect it to be incinerated).  She was hoping at least for it to be reused/repurposed for someone's pets.  We  obviously need to be trying to rehome stuff before the "recycling" centres when there are better options.  She did manage to rehome some other furniture by labelling it as needing a new home and leaving it in her front garden.  It's just great when someone who can make good use of something claims it for re-use.There is also freecycling with www.trashnothing.com which is any easy interface.  Have a look and see what's there.

Philippa Bond ● 1972d

Thanks all - some handy tips here!

Sarah Boulding ● 1972d

If what you are taking to the dump is useable furniture then the British Heart Foundation have a collection service to enable them to sell the stuff and the charity benefits. Used it myself and they are grateful for donations, especially so if you gift aid the money they get

peter king ● 1972d

Yes it is the British Heart Foundation which has been very successful in collecting and which have a shop in the Uxbridge Road.  However due to their success they can afford to be fussy.  (All charity shops tend to have space restrictions. Then it is worth trying Petit Miracles who are teaching people skills in mending and upcycling.Our Waste Authority has a list under Reduce Waste:https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 1972d

Residents in West London Waste boroughs (EG Hounslow, Ealing Richmond) are entitled to use household waste recycling centres in any of the boroughs. For Brentford/Chiswick residents the nearest are Townmead Road in Mortlake or Stirling Road in Acton (though Ealing plan to close it).Space Waye in Feltham or Ealing's Greenford site are other options.The current expectation is that the booking system (run by W London Waste) will continue. It avoids queues which sometimes disrupt locals and seems popular with users now they are getting used to it (avoids queues for them too!)

Guy Lambert ● 1972d

Rubbish😂. The recycling centre is invariably empty because the booking system says all slots at taken. I know because I’ve been monitoring it Stirling Road are booked up for weeks, supposedly. They say the reason it’s empty is because people are failing to turn up for their booked slots. Who knows the truth, but it’s obviously not working ! Could be they want to prove  it’s not being used so may as well close it !

Maggie Dodge ● 1971d

Yes - what you state reflects the theory Guy but Maggie's words reflect the reality.

Sarah Boulding ● 1971d

We usually went straight in on a Sunday Morning, it was the easiestto use I thought.

Janice Evans ● 1971d

Surely they could all have one day, possibly Sunday to just turn up for those who cannot book online.

Janice Evans ● 1971d

Stirling Road isn't helped by their general waste crusher being out of action for some time, which must reduce their capacity significantly. It's now been taken away and I doubt if it will be replaced if the facility is going to close.

Peter Evans ● 1971d

Sadly think it will close and don't like to think people are using devious means to achieve that, but seems to be the norm these days.

Janice Evans ● 1971d

Maggie  You'll be able to check out who is taking commercial waste and who is taking household waste that should be recycled kerbside then.

Philippa Bond ● 1971d

Far too much that could be recycled used to go into that crusher and crushed were the feelings of those who had brought stuff with life still in it which perhaps just needed a freshen up or a bit of tlc in the hope that it would be reused only to be directed towards the... crusher.  The names have changed gradually over the years as we have been encouraged to recycle more and more and waste less. HRRC seems to be the newest name.

Philippa Bond ● 1971d

Our Waste Authority:https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 1971d

Phillipa you appear passionate about recycling etc. You don’t seemconcerned about what appear to be underhand tactics and the selling off of our recycling centre.

Maggie Dodge ● 1971d

I can't comment really on Stirling Road, which I have never used (I always used to use Townmead but now Space waye) beyond saying these places are expensive to run and Ealing is the only WLWA borough that currently runs two sites.As far as Space Waye is concerned the booking system is working well - with the occasional no show but with experience we allow for that and we gradually get slicker. My experience of Townmead (before the pandemic) was frequently long waits. Space Waye post pandemic was pandemonium for a few days and we had to employ marshals to send people away otherwise the streets would have been completely blocked.

Guy Lambert ● 1971d

It's my local recycling centre and I've been using it for years and there has been talk about building something else there for years.  Kerbside recycling has improved considerably in that time.  So it's no big surprise. I remember taking cardboard there and being told to put it in the crusher - I took it away again and wrote to LBE asking why they didn't have cardboard collections there.  I used to take plastic there for years before it was collected kerbside and before it was obvious that it was such a problem.We are moving towards a circular economy rather than a linear throw away society one of buy, use and chuck out.  Reduce Reuse and Recycle has been the mantra forever and Repair and Repurpose have now been inserted into that as we keep products and materials in use for longer again.       

Philippa Bond ● 1970d

I find your laid back attitude very odd Phillipa. Plenty of things come to the end of their useful life and can’t or won’t be taken by roadside recycling.

Maggie Dodge ● 1970d

I was told that vacuum cleaners that just need their bags emptied, or new bags (available online) are one of the biggest unnecessarily chucked out items. There are now online instructions if you've lost them, trouble-shooting videos, spare parts and how to fix it videos.

Philippa Bond ● 1970d

Why aren’t you addressing my point? Do things like vacuum cleaners never come to the end of their life? You can’t repurpose it, it’s not furniture. What do I do with it when it really needs to go? Clear answer if you can please

Maggie Dodge ● 1969d

You'll be lucky Maggie!

peter king ● 1969d

I’m  beginning  to realise we have another zealot on our hands. For zealot read unrelenting and not open to meaningful discussion, to the detriment to others. Otherwise known as selfish.or my way or the Highway etc. You get my drift

Maggie Dodge ● 1969d

Many will not criticise the Council and why you may not get replies to direct questions.

Janice Evans ● 1969d

Must admit I'm one of those people.

Janice Evans ● 1969d

Regarding financial issues that is, selling of land etc.

Janice Evans ● 1969d

Maggie - you did make me laugh. Perhaps you just caught sight of yourself in the mirror!  How often does your vacuum cleaner come to the end of its life?  Every 10 years?  Mine is still working after more than 30 years.  Do you ever mend anything or take anything to be mended?  There is a brilliant vacuum cleaner chap in Ealing btw.  Here are just two options - there are probably more legal ones:You could see whether wherever you buy a new one from will collect your old one at the same time as delivering or you deliver your old one to them while collecting or later as per their rules.  They either have to do this or pay towards a Recycling Centre as part of Producer Responsibility.You can also network - I hear you are good at twitter - so that you can share a collection with others who also need items collected (sometimes there are even free collections) sometimes not - or you can share a trip to the nearest collection centre for electronic/electrical with others and together dispose of your dead electrical items.And some more suggestions:You could also ask the Councils or the West London Waste Authority to organise an electrical and electronics collection bank every so often - I believe there has been one at Chiswick Library in the past. Or you could host one yourself with their help:https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/weee-love-recycling/https://www.gov.uk/electricalwaste-producer-supplier-responsibilities

Philippa Bond ● 1968d

Phillipa, how do you hear that I’m good on Twitter? It’s  not true, I’m a novice and got forced off when Jeremy Vine, another fanatic organised a pile on. He like you doesn’t listen to any other view. I now dabble in a mostly supportive role.

Maggie Dodge ● 1968d

Pile on? Rubbish. You are just an attention seeker.

Carl Wynne ● 1968d

Jeremy Vine is well known for his unacceptable behaviour on Twitter. Don’t comment on  things you know nothing about .

Maggie Dodge ● 1968d

I will and I do. You are making the "pile on" up.

Carl Wynne ● 1968d

Me and all the other people who’ve complained to the BBC . Is he your idolor something. He gets people arrested. He tried to get a doctor sacked who disagreed with him on Twitter. He reported another driver, rightly so, but the police only gave them a warning. That wasn’t good enough for Mr Vine he complained to the police that they’d been too lenient. You think a pile  on is not in his book of tricks. 😂😂😂😂😂

Maggie Dodge ● 1968d