Glasgow's four recycling centres at a glance
Glasgow City Council runs four household waste recycling centres — Dawsholm, Polmadie, Easter Queenslie and Shieldhall. All four open seven days a week, 8am to 6pm, with last entry at 5:45pm. Hours and any site closures are confirmed on Glasgow City Council's recycling centres page.
They're free to use, but for Glasgow residents only — bring proof of address. The big catch is vehicles: there's a 1.8-metre height limit at most sites, strict time windows for resident vans, and Polmadie won't take vans at all. If you're clearing more than a car boot can hold, that's where they stop being useful.
Dawsholm Recycling Centre (G20)
In the north-west, handy for Maryhill, the West End and Kelvinside.
- Address
- 75 Dalsholm Road, Maryhill, Glasgow, G20 0TB
- Opening
- 7 days, 8am–6pm (last entry 5:45pm)
- Vehicles
- No cars or vans over 1.8m — except resident vans, allowed 8–11:30am and 1:30–4:45pm.
- Access
- Glasgow residents only, proof of address required.
One of the busier sites at weekends — go early to avoid the queue.
Polmadie Recycling Centre (G42)
On the Southside, closest for Govanhill, Shawlands and the city centre.
- Address
- 425 Polmadie Road, Glasgow, G42 0PJ
- Opening
- 7 days, 8am–6pm (last entry 5:45pm)
- Vehicles
- No vans at all, and nothing over 1.8m or 3.5 tonnes.
- Access
- Glasgow residents only, proof of address required.
The only centre that takes polystyrene packaging — but remember, no vans here whatsoever.
Easter Queenslie Recycling Centre (G33)
In the East End, serving Queenslie, Easterhouse and Baillieston.
- Address
- 90 Easter Queenslie Road, Glasgow, G33 4UL
- Opening
- 7 days, 8am–6pm (last entry 5:45pm)
- Vehicles
- No vans over 1.8m or 3.5 tonnes; resident-owned vehicles only.
- Access
- Glasgow residents only, proof of address required.
The only site that takes engine oil — but it's part-closed through 2026 for a rebuild, so check before you travel.
Shieldhall Recycling Centre (G51)
In the south-west, best for Govan, Cardonald and the Clyde Tunnel side.
- Address
- Renfrew Road, Govan, Glasgow, G51
- Opening
- 7 days, 8am–6pm (last entry 5:45pm)
- Vehicles
- No cars over 1.8m and no vans.
- Access
- Glasgow residents only, proof of address required.
Straightforward for a car-load, but a non-starter for anything van-sized.
What Glasgow's recycling centres accept
Between them, the centres take just about everything a household throws out. What they won't take is trade or commercial waste, asbestos, or large quantities of construction material — for those you need a licensed carrier like us.
- Electricals & white goods
- Mattresses & upholstered seating
- Cardboard & mixed recycling
- Wood & timber
- Garden & green waste
- Scrap metal
- Small amounts of rubble
- Textiles & clothing
- Car & household batteries
- Paint & household chemicals
- E-cigarettes & vapes
- Glass & bottles
The catch: vans, permits and queues
Here's where the tip falls down for a real clear-out. The 1.8-metre height limit rules out most vans and big 4x4s. Resident vans only get in during set windows, Polmadie bans them completely, and Easter Queenslie is part-closed for 2026. You'll need proof you live in Glasgow, and at weekends you can queue a good while to get in.
So a couple of bags in the car boot? The tip is fine. A sofa, a fridge, a shed's worth of junk or a full house clearance? That's a lot of trips — or one call to us.
Don't fancy the trip, the queue or the van rules?
We're a SEPA-registered Glasgow team who'll load it, take it and recycle it for you — over 80% diverted from landfill, with a duty-of-care note every time.
The easy alternative: we come to you
Dumpit Scotland is a family-run, Clarkston-based team clearing rubbish across every part of Glasgow — same-day where we can, seven days a week. No loading the car, no 1.8-metre rule, no resident permit and no queue at the gate.
You send a photo on WhatsApp, we send back a fixed price, and we do the lifting, loading and sweeping up. Loads start from £100 + VAT, and we recycle everything the tip would — and more, because as a licensed carrier we take the trade and bulky waste the council centres turn away.
It's the same recycling, without the trip.
Elsewhere in Scotland? We've written the same guide for Edinburgh, where the centres are booking-only, Dundee, which runs a van permit scheme, Aberdeen, with four sites and a 3.5-tonne limit, and Inverness, where DIY waste can't come in a van at all — plus Perth, Stirling and Fife.
