Doncaster has six household waste recycling centres (HWRCs), and the rules for using them changed when the council moved from paper permits to number-plate recognition. This guide sets out where each site is, when it is open, what it takes and what you need if you are arriving in a van or with a trailer. Opening times checked October 2026 against the City of Doncaster Council HWRC page.
Where are the recycling centres in Doncaster?
There are six sites, all run by HW Martin Waste Ltd for City of Doncaster Council. Five of them close two days a week all year round; Armthorpe is the only one open every day, all year, and the only one that takes plasterboard and asbestos.
What are the Doncaster recycling centre opening times?
Summer hours run from 1 April to 30 September and winter hours from 1 October to 31 March, except at Armthorpe, which does not change.
| Site | Address | Summer hours | Winter hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armthorpe | Armthorpe Road, Armthorpe, DN2 5QB | 8.30am–7pm | 8.30am–7pm | Open 7 days |
| Balby | Springwell Lane, Balby, DN4 9AJ | 9.30am–7pm | 9.30am–5pm | Tue and Wed |
| Carcroft | Bentley Moor Lane, Carcroft, DN6 7BD | 9.30am–7pm | 9.30am–5pm | Tue and Wed |
| Conisbrough | Crookhill Road, Conisbrough, DN12 2AE | 9.30am–7pm | 9.30am–5pm | Thu and Fri |
| Hatfield | Bootham Lane, Hatfield, DN7 4JT | 9.30am–7pm | 9.30am–5pm | Thu and Fri |
| Rossington | Bankwood Lane, Rossington, DN11 0PS | 9.30am–7pm | 9.30am–5pm | Tue and Wed |
Vehicles have to be off site by closing time, so the council asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes before. Bank holiday and Christmas arrangements are not listed on the main page — check the council page before you go.
What should I know about Conisbrough recycling centre?
Conisbrough, on Crookhill Road (DN12 2AE), is closed on Thursdays and Fridays rather than the Tuesday and Wednesday closures at Balby, Carcroft and Rossington. The council also notes that it closes for short periods during the day while skips are compacted or swapped, so you may have a short wait at busy times.
It is also handy for reuse: the YoRRRShop (Yorkshire’s Reuse Refurb Resale Shop) is on Sheffield Road, Conisbrough, DN12 2BU. Good-quality items such as bikes, small electricals and Dyson or Henry vacuums can be handed to staff at any Doncaster HWRC for reuse.
Do I need a pass or a booking?
Doncaster residents in an ordinary car do not need a pass or a booking. Everyone else needs to set up a free online account at the council’s HWRC portal first, according to the pass FAQs:
- Medium or large van, or a car towing a trailer: a free Vehicle Pass, which covers 12 visits in 12 months. You upload your V5C log book (or lease, Motability or employer paperwork).
- Hire vans, borrowed vans, flatbeds, tippers and box vans: these cannot get a Vehicle Pass, so you need a one-off booking. You get four one-off bookings in any rolling 12 months, and should allow two hours after booking before you visit.
- On foot, by bike, bus or mobility scooter: a Pedestrian Pass and a booking for every visit.
- Vehicles over 3,500kg are not allowed on any site.
Trailers on a Vehicle Pass must be single-axle with no high sides; a one-off booking allows a twin-axle trailer up to 6ft (1.80m) bed length, per what you need to visit an HWRC. Sign-written vans cannot be used to tip waste linked to the advertised business.
What do Doncaster recycling centres accept?
Most household waste is accepted free of charge at all six sites, including:
- Furniture and domestic seating (including upholstered sofas and gaming chairs) and mattresses
- Electricals, from kettles and laptops to washing machines and TVs
- Fridges and freezers — but you must bring proof that you live in the borough
- Cardboard, paper, glass (including sheet glass), cans, plastics, textiles, books, CDs and DVDs
- Scrap metal, wood (not railway sleepers), and bagged green waste
- Household batteries and car batteries (not e-bike or e-scooter lithium batteries), bulbs and fluorescent tubes
- Water-based paint, cooking oil, LPG gas canisters, fire extinguishers up to 1kg, and vapes
What is restricted at Doncaster tips?
DIY and building waste is limited, and some items are only taken at Armthorpe:
- Hardcore, rubble and soil: bagged, up to 300 litres (about one car boot) once a week.
- Plasterboard: Armthorpe only, up to 300 litres once a week, kept separate. Plasterboard with tiles, insulation or Artex is refused.
- Asbestos: Armthorpe only, by pre-booked appointment. The asbestos disposal page allows up to eight bags or packages per property, double-wrapped in 1000-grade polythene, free for DIY waste from your own home.
- Tyres: up to four car tyres, off the rims. No commercial vehicle tyres.
- Engine oil: up to 10 litres, once every six months, in the original container.
- Not accepted: ammonia fridges, plastic car parts, and waste from internal refurbishments or exterior hard landscaping.
Commercial waste is not accepted — businesses need a trade waste arrangement.
When is it easier to book a clearance instead?
The tip is the cheapest option when you have a car, a few loads and the time to make the trips. It gets harder when:
- You have no van. A hire van means a one-off booking, and you only get four a year.
- There is a lot of it. A whole house usually means several van loads, each one counting against your visits.
- Items are heavy or awkward. Sofas, wardrobes and mattresses have to come down stairs and out of the house before they go anywhere near a van.
- The property is being emptied. Lofts, sheds and garages add up quickly, and rubble limits are tight.
CL Clearances collects from inside the property, gives a fixed written quote and provides a Waste Transfer Note. Usable items are donated or recycled where possible. Single items start from £50 for a sofa and £40 for a mattress through our furniture removal service. For mixed loads see rubbish removal in Doncaster, and for a full property, house clearance in Doncaster.
How do I get a price?
Send photos by WhatsApp to 07783 430775 or email hello@cl-clearances.co.uk. Charlotte will reply with a fixed written quote. CL Clearances is based in Howden, has been clearing properties since 2016 and holds upper-tier waste carrier licence CBDU291452.
