From today people carrying out home improvements will have to pay to leave DIY waste at recycling centres in Norfolk.

From today people carrying out home improvements will have to pay to leave DIY waste at recycling centres in Norfolk.

For years keen DIYers have been able to take a small amount of waste to tips in the county and leave it for free but this will no longer be the case.

Items such as doors, sinks and fence panels will be subjected to the charge as Norfolk County Council looks to reduce costs at its 20 recycling centres.

From April 1 the County Council will be removing the concession which allowed people to take one large item or up to 80 litres of waste for no charge to its local household waste recycling centre.

Martin Wilby, chairman of the Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said the decision was made as the council 'is not legally required to take people's DIY waste'.

'I would urge people to make sure they are factoring in the cost of disposing of waste when they are spending on their latest DIY project,' he said.

'We know that there has been a lot of confusion around the concession over the years and it has been very tricky for site staff to administer so it is hoped that the new clearer system will help remove this confusion that has existed.

'I must stress that this change will only affect DIY waste. Our recycling centres will still take all household waste for free which includes furniture, sofas, white goods and other electrical items, and garden waste.'

The change is expected to save the authority approximately £280,000 a year and this will be used to offset the cost of waste disposal from household recycling centres which totalled £7.5m last year.

What is DIY waste?

DIY construction and demolition waste that will be charged for from April 1 2018:

n Timber – including kitchen units, fitted furniture, doors, laminate flooring and floorboards, sheds, fence panels, decking, garden structures

n Rubble – including sinks, toilets, bricks, concrete, stones, tiles

n Flat glass – including glass from windows and doors, greenhouses, shower screens

n Plasterboard – all plasterboard and plaster

n General waste – including roofing felt, plastic guttering, fibreglass insulation.