One in nine people who book Dumfries and Galloway dump slot don't turn up

Lochar Moss Household Waste Recycling Centre
-Credit: (Image: Drew Geddes)


One in nine people who book slots to dump waste at their local recycling centre don’t bother to show up.

A survey was recently carried out on the service offered at all 12 household waste recycling centres (HWRC) in Dumfries and Galloway.

More than 4,000 people completed the survey, which asked various questions about the facilities and quality of service they received.

However, one surprise statistic was that 12 percent of users booked a time to dump their waste – but never turned up.

Of those people, a quarter of them admitted they simply forgot about the booking.

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The survey showed the recycling centre in Lincluden had the highest number of no-shows at 18 percent, followed by Lochar Moss at 15 percent, and Lockerbie with 14 percent.

Councillors called for a review of the booking system six months ago to better understand the “end-to-end customer experience as part of continuous improvement” and to ensure the public are getting proper access to the sites.

An update is provided at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s communities committee next Tuesday.

The survey was conducted between March 18 and April 15, 2024, and the results will be tabled at next week’s committee. More than 3,500 surveys were completed online, while around 500 were carried out during face-to-face conversations with customers at the HWRCs.

The survey was largely positive, with 99.6 percent of people saying that the booking system is easy to use. Meanwhile, the customer satisfaction rates for each site varied between 89 percent and 96 percent.

It was reported that, of the 27 percent of users requesting assistance from council staff, 92 percent received this.

The report states: “For the remaining eight percent who did not, this could have been due to staff being already busy with other customers or the individual not directly asking for assistance.”

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Dustin Bradley, founder of The Green Dumpster, also emphasised the importance of planning for waste disposal.

He added: "Many people underestimate the volume of waste generated during home projects, leading to rushed trips to recycling centres.

"It’s helpful to assess your waste needs ahead of time and schedule your visits accordingly to avoid unnecessary stress."

He also suggested considering alternative waste management strategies, such as organising community clean-up days or coordinating with neighbours for larger disposal needs.

"This collaborative approach can make the process more efficient and cost-effective while fostering a sense of community," he added.

A booking system is in place for all 12 sites. The purpose of this is to help make the process more efficient with minimal on-site waiting time and ensuring there is enough staff and recycling resources to meet demand.

Slots for visiting an HWRC can be reserved through the council’s website by providing details about the vehicle, type of waste, and selecting from the available slots.

Alternatively, booking can be done via phone or by visiting any of the customer service centres. If visitors arrive without prior booking at any of the 12 sites, a three-strike policy is in operation, resulting in users being denied entry after the third non-booked visit.

Based on what council officers described as “very positive feedback” from the public, councillors are being asked to approve the retention of the booking system for recycling centres.