NEW winter opening times for County Durham’s household waste recycling centres will come into effect next week.

Revised opening hours for sites operated by Durham County Council will begin on October 1 and stay in force until the end of March.

The Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Annfield Plain, Potterhouse Lane, Tudhoe, Seaham, Heighington Lane, Romanway and Middleton-in-Teesdale will be open seven days a week from 9am until 3.30pm.

Opening hours at the sites in Thornley, Coxhoe and Horden, which will be open every day except Fridays, will be between 9am and 3.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am until 3.30pm on weekends and bank holidays.

The HWRCs in Hett Hills and Stainton Grove will be open on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 9am until 3.30pm.

In addition, the new recycling service in Frosterley, Weardale, which was launched on a trial basis last month (August), is available on alternate Saturdays from 9am until noon on September 27, October 11 and 25, November 8 and December 13.

Located off the A689 in Frosterley, the site is operating until December and is open to residents with cars and small vans.

All of the HWRCs, which are owned by the council and managed by HW Martins, will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

John Shannon, strategic waste manager at Durham County Council, said: “We would urge everyone to make sure they dispose of their waste legally and safely and using an HWRC will guarantee that people are doing so while helping to increase the amount of items which are recycled.

“It is also important to remember that any commercial waste produced by businesses and landlords is not accepted at HWRCs and must be disposed of legally at an appropriate licenced facility.”