From Monday 23 March 2026, Dorset Council will introduce a simple booking system at our recycling centres in Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury and Sherborne.
The aim is to make visits smoother, reduce queues, and ensure the service remains fair for Dorset taxpayers.
At the moment, Dorset residents have to pay when they use recycling centres run by neighbouring councils. But their residents can use Dorset sites for free. This isn’t sustainable, and it means Dorset households are picking up costs for people who live elsewhere. Introducing a small charge for non‑Dorset visitors puts this on a fair footing.
This change also tackles trade waste abuse. Our household sites are for residents’ waste only; businesses must use licensed facilities. The booking system will help our teams spot and stop business use, keeping costs down for Dorset taxpayers.
Booking takes only a couple of minutes, and same‑day slots will be available. If you can’t book online, you can call us and we’ll do it for you.
Each site currently sees around 380 visits a day. The new system offers 430 bookable slots daily per site, which can be reserved up to two weeks in advance. Visitors will have a 30-minute arrival window, and multiple bookings on the same day are allowed.
There’s no charge for Dorset residents, but non-Dorset visitors will pay a fee per visit. Our other six recycling centres remain open without booking for Dorset residents, except when disposing of DIY waste.
Cllr Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Place Services, said:
“We’ve listened to residents and designed a system that’s simple and fair. It improves the experience for Dorset households, ensures taxpayers aren’t covering waste disposal costs for neighbouring areas, and helps prevent business use of household sites. By reducing congestion and improving recycling efficiency, the system also supports a cleaner, greener Dorset.”
Dorset Council remains the top-performing unitary authority for recycling in England, and this system helps us stay ahead.
By spreading demand, we cut queues, ease congestion and reduce emissions. Booking systems have a proven track record: independent reviews, including DEFRA’s, show they don’t lead to more fly-tipping. Instead, they help councils manage demand effectively, boost recycling rates and deliver high levels of public satisfaction.
We know this is a change, but it means shorter waits, fairer use of services and better value for money for Dorset taxpayers. We’ll review the system regularly and listen to residents to keep improving.
Bookings open from Monday 16 March. A short video explaining how to make a booking is also available.
