Residents across Dorset will need to book in advance to visit Household Recycling Centres from later this year, under new plans confirmed by Dorset Council.
The booking system, expected to launch in autumn 2025, aims to reduce queues and make trips quicker and more efficient. It will apply to all Dorset Council-run sites, including those in Wimborne and Blandford.
The new approach will require users to select a half-hour slot online and provide basic information such as their name, address and vehicle registration. Same-day bookings will usually be available and there will be no limit on how often most vehicles can visit.
Phone bookings will be introduced at a later date. Until then, help will be provided on-site for residents who are unable to book online.
Some Dorset residents can continue to use centres in BCP and Hampshire as per current agreements.
Councillor Jon Andrews, Cabinet Member for Place Services, said the system has already worked well in other areas and will help Dorset maintain its position as one of the top-performing councils for recycling in the country.
Other councils using similar systems, including Essex and Hampshire, have reported positive results. Dorset residents already using the Somerley recycling centre in Verwood, which operates under Hampshire County Council, have also given favourable feedback.
There will be a short transition period once the system begins, with staff on hand to support visitors who arrive without a booking. Current rules around opening times, waste types and vehicle permits will remain the same.
Dorset Council also confirmed there is no evidence from elsewhere of increased fly-tipping as a result of bookings being introduced.
More information will be announced closer to the launch date.