Residents planning to bring household items at North Yorkshire’s recycling centres are being urged to register as new rules come into force today (Monday, April 27) to make the service fairer.

Under the scheme, residents will need to register their name, address and vehicle before visiting any of the county’s 20 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs).

In the first few weeks, staff will focus on informing and supporting visitors about the new scheme, rather than turning residents away unnecessarily, giving them time to register and adjust to the change.

The move will help to ensure the sites are used by residents who fund the service, and reduce visits from those outside the county, which currently accounts for about one in six users and costs the taxpayer up to £400,000 a year.

When deciding to introduce a registration scheme, the council did consider the possible impact on fly-tipping.

However, when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs analysed data from local authorities which have implemented similar measures, it concluded that there was no evidence of a direct link between HWRC changes and fly-tipping.

Researchers found that 32 per cent of councils which had implemented similar changes believed fly-tipping numbers had stayed the same in the last 12 months, 27 per cent said they were unsure if fly-tipping had increased, and 26 per cent of councils believed it had decreased.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, said: “We want to ensure that as many people as possible have registered their vehicle before turning up to a recycling centre to avoid delays.

“We also want to address concerns around fly-tipping following the introduction of the scheme and provide reassurance that data from other authorities has shown this isn’t the case.

“We take a zero-tolerance approach to anybody who fly tips, and we will always seek to prosecute those responsible.

“In our case, we are not even asking people to book a visit. Once registered, residents can come and go freely during opening hours.

“The new rules will improve access, reduce misuse, and ensure we are operating the centres efficiently and fairly.”

Registration is free, takes a couple of minutes, and lasts for three years. It can be done online, and people can then use the centres straight away, with staff checking number plates on arrival.

Owners of commercial‑like vehicles (CLVs) will also be able to make up to 12 free visits per year to dispose of their own household waste once registered. This change is designed to prevent the council from inadvertently accepting commercial waste free of charge, while still supporting residents who own larger vehicles.

Residents can register online at www.northyorks.gov.uk/hwrc. Those without internet access can call the council on 0300 131 2 131, or visit a library or council office for help.

The introduction of the scheme follows a detailed review and a 12‑week consultation, which received more than 3,000 responses. Of these, 69 per cent supported restricting access to residents, and 61 per cent backed limits for CLVs.

In 2024/25, the county’s recycling centres handled 64,500 tonnes of waste and received 1.6 million visits. The new scheme is expected to support savings of up to £400,000 per year, including £300,000 from restricting non‑resident use and £100,000 from limiting CLV visits.