STRICT rules will be in force when Kendal’s tip re-opens next week.

Cumbria County Council has confirmed the household waste recycling centre will re-open from Tuesday May 12.

The sites were closed in March in response to the coronavirus lockdown but new guidance was issued by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) this week after the government advised they were needed in order to discourage fly-tipping.

The re-opening of sites in Cumbria, which also include those in Barrow, Millom, Ulverston, Ambleside and Grange, was delayed to allow council bosses to implement safety precautions.

The guidance from Defra states: “Journeys to HWRCs (Household Waste Recycling Centres) must only be undertaken if your waste or recycling cannot be stored at home safely or disposed of safely by other means.

“No other reason for the journey would be considered a legitimate purpose.

“If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to your or others' safety or human health, then you must do so.”

Staff at the centres will not be able to help to unload waste from vehicles and strict social distancing rules will be in place.

No pedestrians will be allowed on site and waste from homes where any residents have symptoms of coronavirus should be left for 72 hours before being brought to site.

Vans or commercial vehicles will not be permitted and asbestos will not be accepted.

No one should attend the site if they are shielding and/or self-isolating due to possible COVID-19 symptoms.

If any household had symptoms, then the waste should be left for 72 hours and be doubled bagged.

Councillor Celia Tibble, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member for Environment, said: “Our district council colleagues have done a great job in continuing to operate their waste collection services throughout this difficult time, but we know how much the household recycling centres have been missed and our officers have been working really hard to get them to be able to safely re-open at the earliest possibility.

“However we would ask that residents only attend the sites for essential visits where they cannot safely store their extra recycling and waste at home and to be prepared to wait patiently, especially in the first few days of opening whilst the staff and the public become accustomed to the new way of working.

“The health and safety of both staff and our residents is our absolute priority and I’d like to thank you for your patience and resilience throughout these recent unprecedented times.”

The number of visitors on site will be limited.