Check Tinahely Recycling Centre Before You Load the Car
Tinahely Recycling Centre is a community-managed facility serving Tinahely, Carnew and the surrounding south Wicklow area. Its current public hours are limited, and the centre accepts sorted recyclable material rather than general household rubbish.
Use this guide to check the latest opening hours, location, charge information, plastic rules, electrical recycling restrictions and the items that should go somewhere else.
Quick answer
Tinahely Recycling Centre opening hours currently published by Tinahely Community Projects are Thursday 2pm–4pm, Friday 10am–1pm and 2pm–4pm, and Saturday 9am–12 noon.
The centre is closed outside those short public windows unless a special notice says otherwise. Check the local Tinahely page before a long journey because staffing or holiday closures can affect access.
Most important load rule
This is a recycling centre, not a general waste dump. Bring clean, separated recyclable material. Do not arrive with black bags, food-contaminated packaging, green waste or an unsorted household-clearance load.
The current local page also says the centre accepts small electrical goods only.
Tinahely Recycling Centre Opening Hours 2026
The latest hours published on Tinahely Community Projects’ recycling-centre page are shorter than some older directory listings. In particular, the current page gives only a two-hour Thursday afternoon window.
| Day | Current published hours | Visit note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Closed | Do not rely on a general County Wicklow recycling timetable. |
| Tuesday | Closed | Use another approved recycling route if the item cannot wait. |
| Wednesday | Closed | No regular public opening listed. |
| Thursday | 2pm–4pm | Current local page shows afternoon opening only. |
| Friday | 10am–1pm and 2pm–4pm | Closed for the one-hour midday break. |
| Saturday | 9am–12 noon | Short morning window; sort your load before arriving. |
| Sunday | Closed | No regular Sunday service listed. |
Do not rely on older Thursday hours. Some older pages still show Thursday 10am–1pm and 2pm–4pm, but the current Tinahely recycling-centre page states Thursday 2pm–4pm.
Temporary staff shortages have caused closures in the past. Christmas and other holiday opening can also differ from the normal weekly pattern, so checking the Tinahely community notice before travelling is worthwhile.
Tinahely Recycling Centre Address and Eircode
Tinahely Community Projects describes the centre as being off School Road, just behind Automatic Plastics. The MyWaste national recycling locator currently lists the site as Millands, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, Y14 DH60.
Local directions
Use School Road as the local approach and look for the recycling-centre access behind the industrial premises identified by the Tinahely community website.
For sat-nav
Try Y14 DH60 or search for “Tinahely Recycling Centre”. Check the destination pin before starting because local directory addresses do not all use identical wording.
Important: Wicklow County Council’s main recycling-centre page lists five council recycling centres but does not list Tinahely among those five. Tinahely operates through a community-management model supported by the council.
Tinahely Recycling Centre Charges: Is It Free?
No current 2026 gate-fee or per-item price schedule was found on Tinahely Community Projects’ current recycling-centre page or Wicklow County Council’s live recycling-centre information.
Older Wicklow County Council meeting records described the Tinahely community recycling service as free, but that historical statement is not enough to guarantee that every accepted material remains free in 2026.
Practical answer: do not budget for a Wicklow County Council civic-amenity charge table here. Tinahely is a different community-managed service. If you are bringing an unusual quantity, electrical items, metal or anything you think might carry a charge, confirm with Tinahely Community Projects before loading the car.
No invented price list: this guide does not label the centre “free” as a current guarantee because a verified 2026 public price schedule was not available.
What Tinahely Recycling Centre Accepts
The centre’s published guidance focuses on clean, separated recyclable material. The local site lists paper/card, selected plastics, glass, metal streams, batteries and certain electrical-related materials among the normal recycling categories.
| Material | Current guidance | Prepare it like this |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard | Accepted when clean and dry | Flatten where practical and keep away from wet or food-soiled material. |
| Paper & magazines | Accepted recyclable stream | Keep dry and sort as requested at the centre. |
| Hard plastic 1–5 | Small clean plastics only under current local guidance | Check the recycling number and wash food residue off first. |
| Glass | Listed as accepted | Empty containers and follow the site’s glass sorting signs. |
| Aluminium & steel packaging | Listed as accepted | Empty and reasonably clean before arrival. |
| Scrap steel | Listed as accepted | Separate it from paper, plastic and electrical items. |
| Batteries | Listed as accepted | Keep loose batteries separate from ordinary mixed recycling. |
| Light bulbs | Listed among recycling materials | Keep intact and separate so they can be handled safely. |
| Electrical cabling | Listed as accepted | Keep separate from scrap metal and general recycling. |
| Small electrical goods | Current page says small electrical goods only | Do not assume large household appliances are accepted. |
| Clothing/textiles | A clothes-bank route is described locally | Bring clothing clean and dry. |
Best visit preparation: sort everything into separate boxes or bags at home. The centre’s community model depends on usable recycling streams rather than mixed waste that staff must separate later.
Tinahely Plastic Recycling: Numbers 1–5 Only
Recent Tinahely notices say the centre can accept plastic in categories 1 to 5, with an emphasis on smaller rigid containers such as washing-up liquid bottles.
The same update says large plastic containers and oil drums are not accepted. The centre also states that it does not take soft plastic or dirty food containers.
More likely to be accepted
- Small rigid plastic containers marked 1–5
- Clean household bottles
- Plastic packaging that fits the site’s current accepted categories
Do not bring
- Soft plastic
- Large plastic drums or containers
- Oil drums
- Dirty chicken/meat trays
- Food- or dairy-contaminated containers
Recycling number alone is not enough. A plastic item marked 1–5 can still be refused if it is dirty, too large or unsuitable for the centre’s current processing arrangements.
What Tinahely Recycling Centre Does Not Accept
The most important mistake to avoid is treating Tinahely as a civic amenity dump for mixed household waste. Current local guidance specifically asks visitors to bring recycling only.
| Item | Status | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| General domestic waste / black bags | Not accepted | Use your authorised household waste collection or another permitted disposal route. |
| Green waste | Not accepted | The composting area is educational only; it is not a green-waste drop-off. |
| Soft plastic | Not accepted under current guidance | Use an appropriate household recycling/retail route where available. |
| Dirty plastic packaging | Not accepted | Clean acceptable containers first; otherwise use the correct residual-waste route. |
| Large plastic containers / oil drums | Recent local notice says no | Check MyWaste or a permitted specialist facility. |
| Large electrical appliances | Do not assume acceptance | Current Tinahely guidance says small electrical goods only; use an authorised WEEE route for larger appliances. |
Green-waste warning: Tinahely has a composting education site, but its published information explicitly says the centre does not accept green waste there.
How to Prepare for Tinahely Recycling Centre
Check today’s hours
Do this particularly on Thursday, during holiday periods or after severe weather and staffing disruptions.
Remove ordinary rubbish
Do not hide general waste inside boxes of recyclables. Tinahely is specifically operated as a recycling facility, not a general dump.
Wash containers
Food-contaminated plastic can create a health and contamination problem and may be refused.
Separate material in the car
Keep paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, metals, batteries and electrical items apart so unloading is quick.
Check unusual items first
For large electricals, bulky plastic, commercial-looking quantities or anything not specifically listed, confirm before travelling.
Alternative Recycling Centres in County Wicklow
Wicklow County Council currently lists five main council recycling centres: Rampere near Baltinglass, Arklow, The Murrough in Wicklow Town, Avoca and Bray. These are separate from the community-managed Tinahely facility and have their own opening hours and accepted-material rules.
For south Wicklow
Arklow and Avoca may be useful alternatives depending on your item, while Rampere can be relevant for west Wicklow journeys.
Wicklow County Council recycling centresCompare all Wicklow options
Use the wider county guide when Tinahely cannot accept green waste, large electrical equipment, mixed loads or another restricted item.
Wicklow Recycling Centre guideNearest is not always best. Choose the facility by the material you need to dispose of first, then compare distance and opening hours.
Tinahely Recycling Centre and the Carnew Collection
Tinahely Community Projects also describes a Saturday recycling collection point at Coláiste Bhríde School Car Park in Carnew, historically operating from 10am to 11.30am and accepting normal recyclable materials.
Because collection-point arrangements can change more easily than a permanent-site timetable, confirm the current Carnew service before travelling specifically for that pickup.
This Carnew collection is useful context for residents of the Tinahely–Carnew area, but it should not be treated as a substitute for checking the current permanent Tinahely centre hours.
Tinahely Recycling Centre Map
The centre is locally described as off School Road behind Automatic Plastics, while MyWaste lists Millands, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, Y14 DH60. Use the map for route planning, then check the destination pin before leaving.
Tinahely Recycling Centre FAQ
What are Tinahely Recycling Centre opening hours?
The current local schedule is Thursday 2pm–4pm, Friday 10am–1pm and 2pm–4pm, and Saturday 9am–12 noon. It is not normally open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Sunday.
Where is Tinahely Recycling Centre?
Tinahely Community Projects describes it as off School Road behind Automatic Plastics. MyWaste currently lists Tinahely Recycling Centre, Millands, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, Y14 DH60.
Is Tinahely Recycling Centre free?
No current 2026 public charge schedule was verified. Older Wicklow County Council material described the community service as free, but visitors should not treat that historical reference as a current price guarantee.
Can I bring general household rubbish?
No. Tinahely’s local guidance describes the site as a recycling centre rather than a general dump and says domestic rubbish should not be brought to the site.
Does Tinahely Recycling Centre accept green waste?
No. The composting area at the recycling centre is an education site and the local page explicitly says green waste is not accepted there.
Does Tinahely Recycling Centre take plastic?
Yes, but current local guidance limits plastic to accepted categories 1–5 and emphasises clean, small rigid plastic items. Soft plastic, dirty containers, large plastic containers and oil drums are not accepted.
Can I bring electrical items?
The current centre page says small electrical goods are accepted. Do not assume large appliances will be taken; use an authorised WEEE route or confirm first.
Does Tinahely Recycling Centre accept batteries?
Batteries are listed among the recyclable materials handled by the community service. Keep them separate from normal household recycling when you arrive.
Is the centre run by Wicklow County Council?
It is community managed by Tinahely Community Projects with support and cooperation from Wicklow County Council. It is separate from the five main recycling centres directly listed on the council recycling-centre page.
What should I do if Tinahely cannot accept my item?
Check MyWaste or Wicklow County Council’s recycling-centre listings. Depending on the item and your location, Arklow, Avoca, Rampere, Wicklow Town or another authorised route may be more appropriate.
Sources Checked for This Tinahely Guide
Before You Drive to Tinahely
Check the day’s opening window, clean and separate your recycling, and remove general rubbish, green waste, soft plastic and other excluded material before you leave home. If your item is unusual or large, verify that Tinahely can take it rather than assuming it follows the same rules as a full Wicklow County Council civic amenity centre.
Independent information guide: RecyclingCentreIreland.org is not Tinahely Community Projects or Wicklow County Council. Opening hours, accepted materials and any charges can change, so use the linked local and official sources for final confirmation.