Use Estuary Recycling Centre in Swords Without Guessing at the Gate
The main Fingal County Council recycling centre for Swords is Estuary Recycling Centre at Seatown Road, beside Swords Business Park, Eircode K67 V003. It accepts many household recyclables free, while bulky, green and other selected household waste streams are charged by vehicle/load type.
This guide explains current opening hours and last-entry times, charges, free materials, household-only rules, payment options and the old “bin tags” references that can still appear in outdated Swords recycling information.
Important: current Fingal information uses card/prepaid-card payment at the recycling centre. Do not rely on old web pages telling you to buy Fingal bin tags.
Quick answer for Swords residents
Estuary Recycling Centre is at Seatown Road / Seatown East, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 V003. Fingal County Council lists the centre as open 8am–8pm Monday to Friday and 8am–6pm Saturday.
Last vehicle entry is 7:30pm on weekdays and 5:30pm on Saturday. The centre is closed Sundays and bank holidays.
Free recycling or paid load?
Paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, clean packaging, clothes, WEEE, batteries and oils are among the materials Fingal currently lists as free of charge.
Bulky waste, timber, metal, green waste, soil/stones, duvets/pillows and household hazardous waste are listed as chargeable.
Swords Recycling Centre Opening Hours and Last Entry
Fingal County Council’s current civic amenity page gives Estuary Recycling Centre longer weekday hours than many Irish recycling centres. The important detail is that the last vehicle is admitted 30 minutes before the published closing time.
| Day | Opening hours | Last vehicle entry | Visitor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00am–8:00pm | 7:30pm | Closed if Monday is a bank holiday. |
| Tuesday | 8:00am–8:00pm | 7:30pm | Go earlier with bulky or mixed loads. |
| Wednesday | 8:00am–8:00pm | 7:30pm | Sort materials before arriving. |
| Thursday | 8:00am–8:00pm | 7:30pm | Useful evening option for weekday workers. |
| Friday | 8:00am–8:00pm | 7:30pm | Do not arrive after last vehicle entry. |
| Saturday | 8:00am–6:00pm | 5:30pm | Shorter closing time than weekdays. |
| Sunday | Closed | — | Use another day or an appropriate local bring bank. |
| Bank holidays | Closed | — | Check Fingal notices around holiday periods. |
Weather can change the plan. Fingal County Council warns that recycling centres may have to close during bad weather for health and safety reasons. Check the council page before travelling in very windy or severe conditions.
Swords Recycling Centre Address, Eircode and Phone Number
Estuary Recycling Centre
Seatown Road / Seatown East
Swords
Co. Dublin
K67 V003
Fingal describes the site as being beside Swords Business Park. The Eircode is the most reliable detail to enter into a navigation app.
Contact details
Direct Estuary number: 01 890 5985
Fingal general enquiries: 01 890 5000
Call before travelling with a trailer, large bulky load, household hazardous waste or anything that looks more like trade/building waste than normal household material.
Map caution: use the map to reach the facility, but use Fingal County Council for operating hours, charges and closure notices. Mapping listings can lag behind council changes.
What Can You Recycle for Free at Estuary Recycling Centre?
Fingal County Council currently lists the following household recycling streams as accepted free of charge. Keeping them separate from chargeable waste makes it easier for staff to direct you to the correct bays.
Paper and packaging
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Cartons
- Tins and cans
- Glass bottles and jars
Plastic and textiles
- Plastic bottles
- Clean plastic packaging
- Clothes
Fingal asks users to wash and squash plastic bottles and remove the tops.
Electricals and oils
- WEEE electrical equipment
- Fluorescent tubes
- Energy-saving bulbs
- Car batteries
- Household batteries
- Cooking oil
- Engine oil
Electricals are a particularly useful free route. Fingal’s WEEE information confirms that household electrical and electronic equipment can be brought to Estuary Recycling Centre free of charge.
Swords Recycling Centre Charges for Bulky and Green Waste
Fingal’s current page says its revised charges took effect on 1 January 2025. The fee depends on both the type of waste and the size of the vehicle/load.
General / bulky waste service charges
This category covers chargeable materials such as furniture, carpets, mattresses, wood and metal. It should not be confused with ordinary black-bin household refuse, which Fingal says is not accepted.
| Vehicle/load | Current published charge | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Car boot | €12 | Small chargeable bulky/general-waste load. |
| Full car / Jeep / SUV | €30 | Larger vehicle-full household load. |
| Car van / car + trailer | €50 | Larger domestic load or trailer. |
| Intermediate / Transit van | €128 | Large household load; commercial waste is still prohibited. |
Green waste charges
Green waste includes materials such as grass clippings, leaves, tree branches and garden trimmings.
| Vehicle/load | Current published green-waste charge | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Car boot | €6 | For a small garden-waste load. |
| Full car / Jeep / SUV | €10 | Keep green waste separate from other chargeable material. |
| Car van / car + trailer | €35 | Call if the trailer/load is unusually large. |
| Intermediate / Transit van | €80 | Household waste only; trade/commercial waste is not accepted. |
Other materials accepted with a charge
- Bulky waste such as furniture, carpets and mattresses
- Wood
- Metal
- Green waste
- Soil and stones
- Duvets and pillows
- Household hazardous waste, including paint, herbicides and household cleaners
Separate free and paid material before leaving home. A boot containing cardboard, batteries and an old appliance is a different visit from a boot containing a mattress, timber and garden waste.
Do You Need Fingal Bin Tags at Swords Recycling Centre?
No current Fingal recycling-centre instruction tells customers to pay with bin tags. Older Swords and Fingal webpages, forum posts and historic council documents can still surface in search results because Fingal previously operated household waste arrangements that used physical bin tags.
Those references belong to an older waste-collection charging system. They should not be used as current Estuary Recycling Centre payment instructions.
Current payment information
Fingal’s live recycling-centre page says customers can pay applicable recycling-centre charges by debit or credit card.
It also suggests using a prepaid payment card if you do not have a debit or credit card.
If an old page tells you to buy bin tags
Check the publication date. Historical Fingal budget documents show bin tags were once part of the council’s household waste collection system.
For a 2026 Estuary visit, follow Fingal’s current recycling-centre payment information instead.
Why this distinction matters: “bin tags” and “recycling-centre charges” are different services from different periods. Buying or searching for an old bin tag is not a required step before a normal current Estuary Recycling Centre visit.
Important Estuary Recycling Centre Rules
Household waste only
Fingal states that its recycling centres are for household waste only. Commercial waste is not accepted.
If your material comes from a business, trade job or commercial activity, use an authorised commercial waste route instead.
Ordinary household refuse
The official visitor information says household refuse will not be accepted. Do not interpret the site’s “general waste service charge” heading as permission to bring ordinary mixed black-bin rubbish.
The published charge examples concern accepted bulky and similar chargeable waste such as carpet, mattresses, wood and metal.
You must unload your own items
Fingal says site staff are not permitted to help customers lift items. Do not bring a sofa, appliance or other heavy object that you cannot safely unload yourself or with someone accompanying you.
No public toilets
The council states that public toilet facilities are not available at the recycling centres. Plan for that before a longer journey or if travelling with someone who may need facilities.
Children: Fingal asks customers to avoid bringing children to the recycling centres. The site has moving vehicles, unloading activity and waste-handling areas.
How to Prepare for a Swords Recycling Centre Visit
Decide whether the load is free or chargeable
Separate paper, packaging, WEEE, batteries and other free recyclables from bulky, green or hazardous household waste.
Check the last-entry time, not just closing time
Weekday last vehicle entry is 7:30pm and Saturday last vehicle entry is 5:30pm.
Bring a current payment method
For a chargeable load, plan to use debit/credit card or the current prepaid-card alternative described by Fingal. Do not plan around historic bin tags.
Make sure you can unload safely
Staff cannot assist with lifting. Bring help for a heavy household item if needed.
Use Eircode K67 V003
Navigate to the Estuary Recycling Centre rather than a generic Swords bring bank or bottle-bank search result.
When You May Not Need Estuary Recycling Centre
Glass bottles and jars only
Fingal operates bring banks across the county. Most provide glass recycling, and many also provide can and textile banks.
Old electrical item only
Estuary accepts household WEEE free, but retailers can also provide statutory electrical take-back routes in qualifying circumstances.
Reusable furniture
Before paying to dispose of usable furniture or household goods, consider whether a charity, reuse organisation or another person can use them.
Useful Recycling Centre Ireland guides
Swords Recycling Centre FAQ
What is the recycling centre in Swords called?
It is Estuary Recycling Centre, operated by Fingal County Council beside Swords Business Park.
What are Swords Recycling Centre opening hours?
Estuary Recycling Centre is currently listed as open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday from 8am to 6pm. It is closed Sunday and bank holidays.
What time is last entry?
Fingal County Council lists last vehicle entry at 7:30pm Monday to Friday and 5:30pm Saturday.
What is the Swords Recycling Centre Eircode?
The Estuary Recycling Centre Eircode is K67 V003.
What is the Estuary Recycling Centre phone number?
Fingal’s WEEE information lists the direct Estuary Recycling Centre number as 01 890 5985.
Is recycling free at Swords Recycling Centre?
Many household recyclables are free, including paper, cardboard, cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, clean plastic packaging, clothes, WEEE, batteries and oils. Bulky waste, green waste and several other materials are chargeable.
How much does a car cost at Estuary Recycling Centre?
For the current general/bulky waste category, Fingal lists €12 for a car-boot load and €30 for a full car, Jeep or SUV. Green waste has a separate lower charge scale.
Do I need Fingal bin tags at Swords Recycling Centre?
No current Fingal recycling-centre guidance requires bin tags. The live council page lists debit/credit-card payment and a prepaid-card alternative for chargeable loads. Bin-tag references online relate to older Fingal waste arrangements.
Can I bring household rubbish?
Fingal’s current visitor information says household refuse is not accepted. Chargeable bulky household waste such as furniture, carpets, mattresses, wood and similar accepted materials is handled separately.
Can a business use Estuary Recycling Centre?
No. Fingal states that the recycling centres are for household waste only and commercial waste is not accepted.
Does Estuary accept paint?
Fingal lists household hazardous waste, including paint, herbicides and household cleaners, among materials accepted with a charge. Keep containers secure and call first if you have a large quantity or an unusual chemical.
Official Sources Checked
- Fingal County Council — Civic Amenity Sites / Recycling Centres: current opening hours, last entry, visitor rules, free materials, chargeable materials, charges and payment methods.
- Fingal County Council — WEEE: Estuary Eircode, direct phone number and free household electrical recycling.
- Fingal County Council — Bring Bank Provision: alternative local recycling route for materials such as glass, cans and textiles.
Source note: a Fingal open-data description updated in 2026 still contains an older “last admitted 3.45” note. Because this conflicts with Fingal’s current recycling-centre service page, this guide uses the live page’s later last-entry times of 7:30pm weekdays and 5:30pm Saturday.
Before You Drive to Estuary Recycling Centre
Use K67 V003, sort free recycling from chargeable waste, check the last-entry time, and bring a current card payment method if you have a paid load. For unusual materials or a large load, call 01 890 5985 before setting out.
Recycling Centre Ireland is an independent information website. It is not Fingal County Council and does not operate Estuary Recycling Centre.