Recycling is cool, ok kids? I mean, didn't you watch Captain Planet in the 90s?! This is our local recycling centre and we tend to visit every few weeks or so as it's a super easy way of ditching all that cardboard that seems to loiter in our hallway. Opening hours are decent (8am - 7.30pm (1 Apr - 30 Sep), 8am- 5.30pm (1 Oct - 31 Mar), every day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day) and you can get rid of pretty much anything here. We tend to visit just for cardboard but you can also dispose of wood, plastic, general waste, bottles etc. The road coming into the dump is pretty dodgy and is a single lane only, meaning you might have to pull over in the passing point if there's cars coming the other way. There's always staff on duty to tell you off for driving you too fast, guide you into/out of parking spots and give you a hand if you need. Look, going to the tip is never going to be exciting like it was when I was a kid when you were allowed to rummage around for hidden treasures, but this place gets the job done and it's free. Win. read more

Recycling should be in a safe environment. Greenhaggs is run by a company (Lowmac) which has so far been fined £200,000 for breaching health and safety for their staff, one who was crushed (£80,000) and one who lost an arm (£118,000) . The site at Greenhaggs is dangerous, especially the place they have moved the rubble disposal to, right next to the massive JCB reversing in and out of the general refuse hanger. The manager is hostile. But then, the company started out as, and still are, car scrappers. The staff stand around barely lifting a finger to help women (especially) struggling to lift heavy items out of their car to heave across to the individual dumping areas. As a woman, I don't feel safe being around any of these men, especially the manager and felt scared one time I was there alone one dark winter afternoon, with no other member of the public around. Who are these men and what, exactly, is their background ? They come across as ex cons. read more