RESIDENTS across the Wellington and West Somerset areas will soon be able to dispose of some DIY waste free of charge at Somerset recycling sites, although they will need to book ahead.

The Government has told councils to stop charging from January 1 for disposing of construction and demolition materials, including asbestos, plasterboard, hardcore, and rubble from household DIY projects.

Now, every household will be able to take up to eight, 50 litre sacks, or equivalent 2m sheets of asbestos or plasterboard, free of charge to a recycling site each calendar month, up to a maximum of four visits in a month.

They could, for instance, make two visits and take four bags each time, or a single visit with eight bags.

People will need to pre-book their trips to dispose of the waste and tell the council in advance the amount of material they are disposing of and the number of times they will need to visit.

Any asbestos, plasterboard, or hardcore/rubble above the free allowance can still be paid for online through the Somerset Council website.

Residents will still need to pay for the disposal of the materials up to December 31.

Bookings can be made online from January 2 through the waste and recycling section of the council’s website.

Anybody who cannot access the online form can call customer services on 0300 123 2224.

However, not all of the recycling sites accept asbestos and/or plasterboard, so residents should check online to find what is accepted at each site.

The free disposal is only available to the Somerset householders.

Construction and demolition waste from trade is classified as industrial waste and not entitled to any free disposal.

Biffa, which runs the recycling sites for the council, can accept trade construction and demolition waste, but not trade asbestos, if a fee is paid to Biffa at the site.