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Planned System Maintenance - Limited Service

Sunderland City Council will be carrying out planned system maintenance from 12 noon on Friday 5th June until 7am on Tuesday 9th June. During this period, we will only be able to respond to urgent enquiries. If your enquiry is not urgent, please contact us before or after these times when full services will be available. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.

Household Waste and Recycling Centres

Managing the disposal of waste upholstered domestic seating containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Many items of upholstered household seating contain high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These are toxic chemicals that were used to fireproof covers and foams. The making, selling and use of products containing POPs is now banned.

There is a requirement to separate waste containing POPs collected through our bulky waste collection service and at our household waste and recycling centres.

Find out more about POPs

This service is strictly for Sunderland residential properties only and cannot be used by:

  • Businesses or commercial premises.
  • Shops or retail outlets.
  • Landlords clearing properties.
  • Anyone disposing of waste from business activities, even if carried out at home.

We provide tailored commercial waste and recycling solution for these areas.  Visit our Commercial waste and recycling services page for full details.

Visiting the Pallion Household Waste and Recycling Centre

To ensure a safe and efficient visit, please follow these guidelines:

Before you arrive

  • Appointment Required - Book in advance to help manage traffic and avoid queues.
  • Vehicle Access Only - Pedestrians are not permitted to carry waste onto the site.

Vehicle restrictions 

  • Maximum length: 5 metres. Vehicles longer than this will not be allowed entry.
  • Allowed vehicles: cars, car-derived vans, vans, and single-axle trailers (up to 3m).
  • Vans with trailers are not permitted.
  • Check our vehicle guide for full details.
  • Sort Your Waste Before Arrival - Separate materials to speed up your visit.

On site

  • Plastic bags/bin bags - Place in general waste only. Remove recyclables from bags before disposal.
  • Use the Correct Containers - Follow signage for each material type.
  • Follow Site Rules - Treat staff with respect; they are there for your safety.

Items accepted at the HWRC

  • Batteries and small electrical items containing batteries
    • These can cause fires and must not go in the general waste skip.
    • Put batteries in the battery recycling bins.
    • Put electrical items in the correct recycling containers.
    • Remove batteries from electrical items before putting them in the correct recycling containers.
    • If you're unsure where to put something, please ask a site attendant.
  • Vaping devices (e-cigarettes)
    • Place these in the blue vaping recycling barrel. This is located next to the electrical recycling container, near the site exit.
  • Bagged household waste
  • Garden waste
  • Tyres (up to four per visit) - must be separated from the rim
  • Cardboard and wood, including old furniture
  • Small domestic appliances (for example, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, lawn mowers)
  • Large electrical appliances (for example cookers, washing machines, dishwashers)
  • TVs and computers
  • Small household fridges
  • Metals
  • Soil
  • Rubble (six bags maximum)
  • Plasterboard
  • Fluorescent tubes
  • Engine and vegetable oil
  • Textiles
  • Household recycling (for example, plastic, cans, glass, paper)
  • Small household fire extinguishers

Items not accepted at the HWRC

  • Car tyres attached to the rim
  • Commercial fridge/freezers
  • Commercial trade or commercial waste is not accepted.  Please contact [email protected]  for this type of waste.
  • Hazardous waste such as acid and asbestos
  • More than six bags of soil/rubble

Using a hire vehicle to dispose of waste

  • If you do not know the registration of the hire vehicle, please enter where the name of the hire company (first six digits).
  • Please be prepared to produce your vehicle hire documents for verification when you arrive at the HWRC.

Pallion HWRC, Pallion Industrial Estate, European Way, Sunderland, SR4 6SN

Winter opening - 1 October to 31 March

Monday to Friday - 8am to 5pm and Saturday to Sunday - 8am to 6pm

Open every day except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Summer opening - 1 April to 30 September 

Daily - 8am to 6pm

Our online request systems have changed. When you click on the button below, you'll be redirected to the council's 'My Account' sign in page. Please sign in as usual or create an account using your email address.

Book an appointment for Pallion HWRC 

See our step by step guide that shows you how to book and cancel appointments for Pallion Household Waste and Recycling Centre online.

Campground HWRC, Wrekenton, Springwell Road, Wrekenton, Gateshead NE9 7XW

Sunderland residents can also use the Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) at Campground, Wrekenton (managed by Gateshead Council). To use this centre, you need to book an appointment for Campground HWRC.

Winter opening - 1 October to 31 March

Open every day except for Christmas Day.

Monday to Friday - 9am to 5pm

Saturday to Sunday - 9am to 6pm

Summer opening - 1 April to 30 September 

Daily - 9am to 6pm

Book an appointment for Campground HWRC

Alternative ways to dispose of your unwanted items

Donate to local charity shops

  • Take your good quality unwanted items to the St Vincent's Revive Sunderland (opens new window) charity reuse shop - operated by St Vincent de Paul Society - at Pallion Household Waste and Recycling Centre. They accept a wide range of household and garden items as well as sporting and camping equipment.
  • There are lots of charity shops in the city centre and in local high streets across the city, including Oxfam, Age UK, Barnardo's, British Heart Foundation and St Benedict's and many more.
  • You can also donate clothes to charity by placing them in the charity metal containers in car parks and other sites in the city.

Recycle 

  • Recycle as many household items as you can in your blue recycling bin. Don't forget to wash and squash food and drinks containers.
  • The Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Pallion Industrial Estate, Sunderland and Campground, Wrekenton accept a huge range of items that can be recycled. Remember to book a free appointment before using the centres.
  • Use bottle banks in supermarket car parks when you go to do your shopping.
  • Use websites such as Freecycle and GumTree.

Garden waste collections

  • If you subscribe to our Garden waste collection service, we will empty your brown bin once every two weeks from the end of March until mid-November.
  • It's quick and easy to sign up, you can find out more on the Garden waste page.

Guidance on visitor behaviour at HWRC sites

We want our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) to be safe and pleasant places for everyone.

Staff at our HWRCs are there to help you recycle your waste safely and correctly. In return, we expect visitors to treat staff and other site users with respect.

We will not tolerate abuse, threats or violence towards site staff or other visitors.

Please see our full guidance on visitor behaviour at HWRC sites.