A new booking and charging system at Powys Household Recycling Centres has begun this week.

From 25 March you will need to book a timeslot to visit Household Recycling Centres across the county, which can be done up to nine days in advance.

Powys County Council will also begin charging to take some DIY waste from 1 April, such as kitchen units, bathroom suites, windows, doors, patios, soil and fencing.

Recycling other items will remain free, with Powys stating the charges are being introduced to “continue to afford to keep all five Household Recycling Centres open five days a week.”

Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys said: “ We appreciate that some people are still not looking forward to the changes at our Household Recycling Centres, but feedback gathered in resident’s surveys from other council’s confirm the systems work well and residents are very happy once it has had time to bed in.

“Change is always a challenge to begin with.

“It will soon become second nature to pre-book a time slot in the same way we book appointments for many other things in life, and it will make your visit to the household recycling centre more efficient knowing that you have your own slot to recycle your waste with the help of the staff, if needed.

“There is still confusion around the new arrangements circulating on social media, and we would encourage everyone to check our website for the most up-to-date information and a full set of frequently asked questions: www.powys.gov.uk/HRC.”

She added, "the charges have not been introduced to make a profit and have been kept as low as possible.”

Budget papers show the council expects the changes to either save or generate £400,000 over a two-year period.

Powys states the new booking system aims to reduce congestion and queuing times for the centres, making visits easier and less time-consuming whilst allowing staff more time to help visitors.

The council also hopes it will improve recycling rates and reduce non-legitimate use by businesses and users from outside the county.

The new system, bookable online or on the phone, will also allow visitors to attend on foot or by bicycle.

The changes have gone ahead despite last-ditch efforts by opposing county councillors to postpone the changes.

For more information, see the full list of chargeable items, or to book a slot, go to the Powys County Council website.