Decision details

Date of Decision:

5th August 2026

Title:

Temporary restrictions on cooling items accepted at Rotherham Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs)

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Sam Barstow – Service Director, Community Safety & Street Scene

Details of Specific Delegation

or

Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Under section 4C6 of the Councils constitution, the Executive Director for Regeneration and Environment is authorised to discharge

executive functions for:

1. Community Safety and Street Scene

(d) Waste and Street Scene

As per the Regeneration and Environment sub-scheme of delegation, the Service Director is authorised as follows:

7.       Other functions

Any function not otherwise reserved to the full Council, the Cabinet, a committee of the Cabinet, a member of the Cabinet, a joint committee discharging executive functions or another local authority, relevant to the Service Director’s portfolio.

Decision:

To approve the temporary implementation of a one item per household limit for cooling appliance disposals during the current national disruption to the cooling appliance recycling network, with the authority to suspend acceptance should on-site storage levels become unsafe or non-compliant.

Reasons for the Decision:

A severe national shortage of specialist recycling and processing capacity has led multiple UK councils to pause or suspend local fridge and freezer collections.

Closures and fires at several cooling appliance recycling facilities have significantly reduced the network's capacity to safely process and treat cooling appliances.

Despite these national challenges, Rotherham's HWRCs continue to accept cooling appliances and are currently managing stock levels effectively. Through proactive site management and close coordination with our contractor, we have maintained sufficient capacity to support residents and continue providing this important service.

To help manage collection delays, HWRCs are permitted to store a limited number of cooling appliances outside designated storage areas, provided they are covered with waterproof tarpaulins and remain compliant with environmental legislation. While Rotherham's HWRCs have some additional storage capacity available, this remains finite. Should stock levels approach unsafe or non-compliant limits before regular collection schedules are restored, temporary restrictions on the acceptance of cooling appliances may need to be considered.

Current estimates indicate that the collection disruption is likely to persist for around four to six weeks.

RMBC's Communications Team has been briefed and will work to keep residents informed as the situation develops.

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which relates to the decision:

N/A

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

N/A

Reports or parts of reports considered

N/A