A new booking system for people wanting to use household recycling centres in Ards and North Down has begun.
From September 4, residents living in the council area will now have to book in advance if they want to use the household recycling centres.
Ards and North Down Borough Council has said that "access will be denied from this date if a pre-booking has not been made".
While some recycling centres in Northern Ireland operated similar booking systems during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ards and North Down is the first council to introduce it at all sites, on a permanent basis.
It comes after earlier this year councillors voted to introduce the booking system for access to its nine household recycling centres, in Bangor, Holywood, Newtownards, Donaghadee, Ballygowan, Kircubbin, Millisle, Portaferry and Comber.
Bookings can be made online or by telephone, up to 30 minutes before an allocated time.
The council states on its website: "From Monday 4 September access to the borough’s nine HRCs will be by pre-booking only.
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"Access will be denied from this date if a pre-booking has not been made.
"The new booking system allows residents to book up to two weeks in advance, or as little as 30 minutes before a visit."
Access is restricted to householders in the council area, and personal details are checked before entry.
To book a slot online, residents must provide an email address, vehicle registration and state the type of waste being brought to the centre.
The council has said the system will help reduce queues at busy times.
It also said it would help the council achieve its environmental objectives and would increase recycling rates.
A council spokesperson told the BBC it would "significantly reduce the cost" of disposing of waste by stopping commercial companies and people from outside the council area from using the centres.
