From 2 November tyres cost £4 and gas bottles from £10.65 at the Keynsham and Midsomer Norton tips, and Bath's Midland Road centre stops taking either.
Bath Recycling Centre on Midland Road will stop taking vehicle tyres, gas bottles, gas cylinders and fire extinguishers from Monday 2 November.
From the same day, the Keynsham and Midsomer Norton recycling centres will still take them, but for a fee. Until now, residents could leave them free of charge (B&NES Council service update).
The new charges
The prices were set by the council’s director of place management on 8 October, after consulting the cabinet member for resources (decision 2511):
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Car or motorcycle tyre | £4 each |
| Car or motorcycle tyre on its rim | £4.50 each |
| Large vehicle tyre, such as a lorry tyre | £20 each |
| Gas or oxygen bottle or fire extinguisher, over 1kg up to 10kg | £10.65 each |
| Gas or oxygen bottle or fire extinguisher, over 10kg up to 20kg | £16.50 each |
| Specialist cylinder, or any over 20kg | £35 each |
You can bring a maximum of four tyres per visit. Bottles of 1kg or less are not charged.
How to pay
There is no cash on site. You pay online before you go, using the council’s pay for extra waste form. The same form already covers plasterboard, rubble, soil and ceramics over the free allowance (Keynsham Recycling Centre page).
The two centres that will take the items are:
- Keynsham Reuse and Recycling Centre, World’s End Lane, BS31 1TW, reached via Ashmead Road
- Midsomer Norton Recycling Centre, at Old Welton
Why the council is charging
Tyres and gas bottles are not classed as household waste, so the council is not obliged to take them. The decision says charging lets it recover the cost of handling, transporting and treating them.
It considered two other options. Carrying on for free would have left the cost on the wider waste budget. Refusing the items outright was rejected because it “could increase inappropriate disposal or fly-tipping”. The council says other councils already charge in the same way.
Fridges and freezers: not taken anywhere for now
Separately, the council is not accepting fridges or freezers at any of its three recycling centres, or through its large item collection. It blames “national recycling delays” and has not given a date for the service to return (B&NES Council service update).
It suggests a retailer take-back when you buy a new one, or another collector. If you have to store an old one at home, it asks you to remove the doors or secure them shut to prevent access.
What it means for you
- Changing your car tyres? Leave the old ones with the garage that fits the new set. The council says tyres can usually be recycled that way, which costs you nothing extra at the tip.
- Empty gas bottle? Return it to the supplier, whose name is usually on the side. The council says suppliers often take them back free.
- Live in Bath? Midland Road will turn tyres and bottles away from 2 November, so take them to Keynsham or Midsomer Norton instead.
- Pay before you set off. Staff cannot take cash.
Collection days, the garden waste service and what goes in each box are on our Bath bin collection days page.
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