Cornwall's tips are set to reopen today (Tuesday, May 19th) but people have been warned that they are for essential waste only.

Cornwall Council announced that the household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) would reopen after a number of requests.

However, in order for them to be able to operate safely, there are a number of restrictions in place.

First, there are restrictions on what you can take to the tip – only black bag waste and garden waste will be allowed.

And any rubbish being taken to the HWRCs should only be that which cannot be stored safely without risk of injury or harm.

The council has also introduced a system whereby you can only enter on certain days depending on the numbers on your car numberplate.

If the last number on your numberplate is even (ie 0,2,4,6,8) then you can go on an even date (ie May 20, 22, 24, 26 etc). But if the last number is odd (ie 1,3,5,7,9) then you can only go on an odd date (ie May 19, 21, 23, 25 etc).

All of the HWRCs bar three will be open to the public – the three which will remain closed are at Tintagel, Saltash and Dudnance Lane, Pool.

The others will be open from 9am to 4pm, seven days a week. They are:

Bodmin

Connon Bridge

Helston

Newquay

St Day (United Downs)

Truro HWRC

Cornwall Council said:

"We anticipate high demand and there are likely to be queues. We may have to ask you to come back at a later date if queues become too long.

"Strict social distancing measures are in place, which is limiting capacity both in terms of the items we can accept and the volume of visits."

The council has listed full guidelines for using HWRCs which are as follows:

- If you can store your waste safely at home without risk of injury or harm to health, you MUST do so.

- DO NOT visit if you are in self-isolation, shielding, have Covid-19 symptoms or are in a household during 14-day isolation.

- Before coming to your HWRC you MUST check first to see if you can dispose of your household waste using the kerbside rubbish, recycling, garden or bulky waste collection services.

- Until further notice, HWRCs are ONLY accepting garden waste and general household rubbish that isn't collected at the kerbside. HWRCs do not accept trade waste.

- We are not accepting chargeable waste such as hardcore, soil, tyres, plasterboard or asbestos.

- Please do not bring anything that is usually recycled, e.g. cardboard, paper, cans, glass, wood, metals, small electrical items, plastic pots, tubs, trays and cartons. Please hang onto anything that is reusable until charities are able to take them. There will be people in need of your resuable items. We won't be able to recycle these items and they will be disposed of as general waste.

- There are likely to be long queues to use the HWRCs. We are putting special traffic management measures in place but please put off your visit if you can.

- If you do come, remember to stay in your vehicle while queuing to comply with social distancing and for your own safety.

- Please follow ALL instructions given to you when you arrive at your HWRC and observe social distancing guidelines at all times.

- Respect your HWRC staff and traffic marshalls. They are key workers doing a difficult job at a difficult time. We will not tolerate any abuse of our staff.

- We are restricting when people can visit their HWRC by operating a vehicle number plate system to limit the number of people visiting each day.If the last digit of your vehicle number plate is even–  0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 – then you may only visit an HWRC on an even date of the month, e.g. 20, 22, 24, 26 May etc. For example, if your number plate is RL34 JGS, the last digit is 4 – an even number – so you may visit on even dates of the month.

- Even numbers include the number 0 (zero).

- If the last digit of your number plate is odd – 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 – then you may only visit an HWRC on an odd date of the month, e.g. 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 29 May etc.

- If you have a personalised number plate the last digit of your number plate indicates the date you may visit the sites.

- If you have a vehicle other than a car that requires a permit to access your HWRC, please display it clearly in your windscreen when you arrive at the site. If your vehicle requires a permit but you don't have a valid one or you don't display it properly, you will not be allowed to use the HWRC.

- We cannot allow trailers onto the sites at the moment.

- We will not be accepting any new permit applications at this time.  All permit applications that were requested before we temporarily suspended the service have now been processed and sent out.

- Only one person may get out of your vehicle at any one time. Please ensure you only bring waste you can move from your vehicle to the HWRC container yourself. We have told our HWRC staff to follow social distancing guidelines to the letter at all times and instructed them not to assist service users with moving waste.