Choose the Right Wicklow County Council Centre Before You Travel
Wicklow County Council operates five recycling centres across the county: Bray, Wicklow Town/The Murrough, Arklow, Avoca and Rampere near Baltinglass. Their opening days and lunch arrangements are not identical.
Use this guide to compare current council-listed opening hours, addresses and Eircodes, understand household-only rules, check WEEE and common recycling streams, and avoid assuming that every centre accepts every unusual item.
Sunday and public-holiday closure applies across the current council listings. Check Wicklow County Council news for temporary changes before a holiday visit.
Quick answer
The five Wicklow County Council recycling centres are Bray, Wicklow Town/The Murrough, Arklow/Croghan, Avoca/Ballymurtagh and Rampere/Baltinglass.
Bray, Arklow and Rampere have the broadest weekday opening patterns. Avoca is closed Monday and closes for lunch. The Murrough also has a weekday lunch closure.
What about charges?
The current council centre pages and linked leaflets do not publish a general 2026 gate-charge table. Do not rely on old proposals or old price references as proof of today’s charges.
Household WEEE has a clearer rule: Wicklow’s official guidance says civic amenity/recycling centres may accept household electrical goods free of charge.
Wicklow County Council Recycling Centres: Full List
Wicklow County Council’s current recycling-centre directory lists five staffed centres. Use the Eircode and exact site name rather than searching for a generic “Wicklow dump”, because Wicklow Town, Bray, Arklow, Avoca and west Wicklow have different facilities.
| Centre | Official address | Eircode | Best geographic fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bray Recycling Centre | Beechwood Close, Boghall Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow | A98 W3P3 | Bray and north-east Wicklow |
| Murrough Recycling Centre | The Murrough, Wicklow Town | A67 PW71 | Wicklow Town and central-east county |
| Arklow Recycling Centre | Croghan Industrial Estate, Emoclew Road, Arklow | Y14 K381 | Arklow and south-east Wicklow |
| Ballymurtagh Recycling Centre | Ballymurtagh, Avoca, Co. Wicklow | Y14 X028 | Avoca and surrounding south/central areas |
| Rampere Recycling Centre | Rampere, off the N81 towards Grangecon, Baltinglass | W91 PK06 | Baltinglass and west Wicklow |
Bray Eircode note: Wicklow County Council’s current page lists A98 W3P3. Some external directories display a different Eircode for the same area. This guide follows the current council page; if navigation looks wrong, use Beechwood Close, Boghall Road as the address check.
Opening Hours for All Five Wicklow Recycling Centres
The centres do not follow one county-wide timetable. Avoca and Wicklow Town have explicit lunch closures, while Bray’s current page specifically says it remains open during lunch.
| Centre | Monday–Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday / holidays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bray | 9am–4pm | 9am–4pm | 9am–1:45pm | Closed |
| Wicklow Town / Murrough | 9am–4:15pm | 9am–3:15pm | 9am–1:45pm | Closed |
| Arklow | 9am–4pm | 9am–3:30pm | 9am–1:45pm | Closed |
| Avoca | Monday closed; Tue–Thu 9am–1pm & 2pm–4pm | 9am–1pm & 2pm–3:30pm | 9am–1:45pm | Closed |
| Rampere | 8:30am–4pm | 9am–3:30pm | 8:30am–1pm | Closed |
Lunch closures that can cause wasted trips
Wicklow Town
Closed for lunch from 12:45pm to 1:45pm on weekdays.
Avoca
Closed for lunch from 1pm to 2pm on Tuesday through Friday.
Bray
The current council page specifically says the centre is open during lunch Monday to Friday.
Holiday rule: all five current council listings state that the centres are closed on public holidays. Wicklow County Council also advises checking Council News & Events for amendments to normal opening hours.
Wicklow County Council Recycling Centre Charges
A common search question is how much it costs to use the Wicklow County Council recycling centres. The important 2026 finding is that the council’s current centre pages and current downloadable site leaflets do not publish a general gate-entry charge table.
There was a public debate in 2022 about a proposed recycling-centre charge, and elected members voted to direct that recycling services continue free of charge. That historic decision explains why old news results about a proposed €3 fee can still appear, but an old proposal should not be treated as today’s complete pricing policy.
| Material / visit | What can be verified | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| General centre entry | No current general fee table published | Check the exact centre/council before assuming a charge. |
| Household WEEE | Free take-back route | Keep electrical items separate and use an authorised WEEE route. |
| Batteries | Listed recycling stream | Keep loose batteries separate from mixed household material. |
| Paint / unusual household waste | Acceptance differs by centre | Check the relevant leaflet or call before travelling. |
| Commercial waste | Not accepted | Use an authorised commercial waste facility/collector. |
Best way to verify a possible charge: tell the council or site exactly what you are bringing, the quantity and whether it is household material. Asking “is the recycling centre free?” is less precise than asking about a specific mattress, paint tins, timber load or trailer.
What Wicklow County Council Recycling Centres Accept
The council’s centre leaflets use a site-by-site “Yes/No” format. Across the network, common household recycling streams include paper, cardboard, glass, cans, electrical equipment, batteries, lights, metal and selected plastics.
Paper and packaging
- Cardboard
- Newspapers and magazines
- Other suitable paper
- Tetra Pak / beverage cartons
- Steel food cans
- Aluminium drinks cans
Electrical and metal
- Household WEEE
- Small electrical items
- White goods where accepted
- Household and lead-acid batteries
- Scrap metal
- Fluorescent and other accepted bulbs
Other common streams
- Glass bottles and jars
- Selected plastics
- Textiles
- Books
- Cooking oil
- Engine oil
Prepare recyclables properly. Wicklow’s current centre leaflets ask users to keep cardboard clean and flattened, sort glass by colour, clean and sort cans, bring clean clothing and put every material into the correct receptacle.
Items That Need a Centre-Specific Check
The downloadable Wicklow County Council leaflets show that some categories are not handled identically at every site. For these items, the right question is not simply “does Wicklow County Council accept it?” but “does my chosen centre accept it today?”
Check before travelling with
- Paint and paint tins
- Garden waste
- Mattresses
- Bulky furniture
- Carpets, cushions or duvets
- Construction and demolition material
- Tyres
- Kerosene tanks
Some plastics also differ
Current leaflets distinguish between accepted plastic bottles/food containers and excluded products such as certain wrappers, toys, planting trays, bubble wrap, insulation foam and other specialist plastic forms.
White polystyrene packaging may be accepted where the site specifically permits it, but pellets, beads, coated polystyrene and insulation foam are not the same material stream.
Paint is a good example of why site-specific checking matters. The Bray leaflet lists paint cans among its accepted categories, while other centre arrangements can differ. Use the exact council leaflet for the centre you plan to visit.
Household-Only Rules and Safe Use of the Centres
The current Wicklow County Council leaflets apply several common conditions to centre users. These are practical rules rather than optional suggestions.
Household use only
The leaflets state that commercial waste is not accepted. Trade, business and commercial loads need an authorised commercial waste route.
Children and dogs
Children must be supervised at all times, and dogs must be kept on a lead.
Sort before disposal
All material must be placed in the correct receptacle. Mixing unsuitable materials can contaminate a recycling stream.
Do not remove material
The council leaflets state that material should not be removed from the facility once deposited.
Do not use a household recycling centre for a disguised trade load. If waste came from a business, contractor or commercial job, use a permitted commercial waste service instead.
WEEE, Batteries and Electrical Items in Wicklow
Wicklow County Council’s WEEE guidance says householders can dispose of household electrical and electronic equipment through civic amenity/recycling centres free of charge. Retailers also have take-back duties in qualifying circumstances.
For retailer one-for-one take-back, the old item normally needs to be a similar type or perform the same function as the new product. Retailers cannot impose a charge simply for fulfilling the statutory WEEE take-back requirement.
Timing caution: Wicklow’s WEEE FAQ advises householders using a civic amenity/recycling centre to bring WEEE during opening hours but not during the final hour of business. That guidance is older than the live centre pages, so if you are arriving late with a large electrical item, call first.
How to Prepare Before Visiting a Wicklow Recycling Centre
Choose the centre by location and item
The nearest facility is useful only if it accepts the material you have.
Check today’s exact opening window
Pay particular attention to Avoca and Wicklow Town lunch closures and public-holiday closure.
Open the individual centre leaflet
Use the Yes/No materials table for paint, garden waste, plastics, bulky items and unusual household material.
Separate the load before leaving home
Keep cardboard, glass, metal, WEEE, batteries, textiles, oils and any questionable items apart.
Confirm an uncertain charge or material
Call Wicklow County Council on 0404 20100 if the current site page does not answer your question.
- Use the correct Eircode.
- Check Sunday/public-holiday closure.
- Allow for lunch closures where applicable.
- Flatten cardboard and clean sortable recycling.
- Keep WEEE and batteries separate.
- Do not bring commercial waste.
- Check paint, tyres, mattresses, rubble and bulky waste before loading.
Wicklow County Council Recycling Centres FAQ
How many Wicklow County Council recycling centres are there?
Wicklow County Council currently lists five recycling centres: Bray, Wicklow Town/The Murrough, Arklow, Avoca and Rampere near Baltinglass.
What are Bray Recycling Centre opening hours?
Bray is currently listed as open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 9am to 1:45pm. It is closed Sunday and public holidays, and the council states that it remains open during lunch.
What are Wicklow Town Recycling Centre opening hours?
The Murrough is listed Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4:15pm, Friday from 9am to 3:15pm and Saturday from 9am to 1:45pm. It closes for lunch from 12:45pm to 1:45pm on weekdays.
What are Arklow Recycling Centre opening hours?
Arklow is currently listed Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm, Friday from 9am to 3:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 1:45pm. It is closed Sunday and public holidays.
Is Avoca Recycling Centre open on Monday?
No. The current Wicklow County Council page lists Avoca as closed Monday. It opens Tuesday to Friday with a 1pm–2pm lunch closure and Saturday from 9am to 1:45pm.
What are Rampere Recycling Centre opening hours?
Rampere is listed Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 4pm, Friday from 9am to 3:30pm and Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm. It is closed Sunday and public holidays.
Do Wicklow recycling centres charge an entry fee?
The current Wicklow County Council centre pages and downloadable leaflets do not publish a general 2026 entry-fee table. Historical debate about proposed charges should not be treated as confirmation of today’s fee policy. Check the exact centre for unusual or potentially chargeable material.
Can I recycle electrical appliances for free?
Wicklow County Council’s WEEE guidance says civic amenity and recycling centres may accept household electrical goods free of charge. Retailer take-back is another option in qualifying circumstances.
Can businesses use Wicklow County Council recycling centres?
The current centre leaflets state that the facilities are for household use and commercial waste is not accepted.
Do all five Wicklow recycling centres accept the same materials?
No. Core recycling categories overlap, but the site leaflets show differences for materials such as paint, garden waste, bulky items, certain plastics, mattresses, tyres and construction-related material.
Official Sources Checked
- Wicklow County Council — Recycling Centres: current list of the five council centres and official addresses/Eircodes.
- Wicklow County Council — Bray Recycling Centre: current opening hours and address.
- Wicklow County Council — Wicklow Town Recycling Centre: current Murrough hours, lunch closure and Eircode.
- Wicklow County Council — Arklow Recycling Centre: current hours and Croghan Industrial Estate address.
- Wicklow County Council — Avoca Recycling Centre: current hours, lunch closure and address.
- Wicklow County Council — Rampere Recycling Centre: current hours and Baltinglass-area address.
Charge verification note: the live 2026 council pages and current downloadable centre leaflets were checked. They do not expose a comprehensive current gate-charge table. For this reason, this guide does not invent prices or present a 2022 proposed charge as a current fee.
Before You Visit a Wicklow County Council Recycling Centre
Choose the centre by both location and material, check the day’s opening window, separate the load at home and use the exact site leaflet for unusual waste. For a charge or acceptance question that is not clearly answered online, call Wicklow County Council on 0404 20100.
Recycling Centre Ireland is an independent information website. It is not Wicklow County Council and does not operate Bray, Wicklow Town, Arklow, Avoca or Rampere recycling centres.