Wicklow Recycling Centre at the Murrough is closed until further notice.
Wicklow County Council announced the closure on Thursday 8 October. Because of ongoing industrial action, the recycled waste already on site can't be taken away, and the centre is now full. The Council has closed it for health and safety reasons and hasn't given a reopening date.
For Hawk's Bay this matters more than most closures, because the Murrough is our nearest recycling centre by a long way.
The other centres
The Council's other recycling centres are still open for now, but the Council says they face the same problem and may close soon if they run out of space:
- Bray: Beechwood Close
- Arklow: Croghan Industrial Estate
- Avoca: Ballymurtagh
- Rampere: Baltinglass
Bray and Arklow are the closest of these, both roughly half an hour's drive away. If you do decide to make the trip, check the Council's channels before you set off, because a centre that was open in the morning could be closed by the afternoon.
What the Council is asking
- Keep non-essential waste at home. If it's safe to do so, hold on to recyclables and bulky items until things are back to normal, rather than making trips you don't need to make.
- Don't leave anything at the gates. Leaving waste or recycling outside a closed centre, beside bottle banks or anywhere in public counts as illegal dumping (fly-tipping), and the penalties are serious.
What this means for you
- Don't drive down to the Murrough. It's closed, and a bag left at the gate could get you a fine.
- Find somewhere to store things for a while. A corner of the shed or garage for cardboard, glass and the odd bulky item will save you a trip to Bray or Arklow. It also helps those centres stay open for people who really need them.
- Your household bins are a separate service. The Council's notice is about its own recycling centres. It doesn't mention kerbside collections, which on our estate are run by private bin companies. See our guide to bins and waste collection for the details.
We'll post an update here when the Murrough reopens.
Source: Wicklow County Council on Instagram (8 October 2026). Details can change, so check the Council's channels for the latest before you travel to any recycling centre.