Forum Topic

Tips/recycling centres reopening?

I've been reading in the press that recycling centres are being reopened. Cant find any evidence that's happening around here though. Anyone got any ideas/heard anything?

Birna Helgadottir ● 2378d7 Comments

I think some councils are, some are thinking about it, some won't and some will only open at weekends.To be honest, no reason why they should be closed if you can limit the number of cars entering. The problem depending on location is the number of cars turning up.Close them and you get flytipping, change bin collection periods and you get flytipping, charge for certain items and you get flytipping.One way most likely gets more expensive to clear up than the other way. You can call people irresponsible as much as you like, it is not going to stop people flytipping

Julian Pavey ● 2378d

You get fly-tipping whether or not they are open.  All fly-tipping should be investigated with a view to prosecution.Nearly everybody should have had enough time to reassess what they are wasting, what they can recycle and where else  and to make sure that they have the correct containers.  It's an ideal time to get to know your neighbours and to share containers if you are struggling.The Councils should all also be reassessing the services that they are providing and how much they are charging for collections - particularly for bulky waste and also the amount and clarity of information they are providing. It seems to vary quite a lot between different Councils.  It is also quite obvious that there are a lot of people who have uncompostable (well you wouldn't choose to) garden waste that needs to be disposed of at this time.  (Check out your Councils and online for subsidised or free composters.)Plenty of help here:  https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 2377d

Phillipa, the OP asked for information, not a lecture. I'm also interested to learn when the local recycling centres will re- open.

Carl Wynne ● 2377d

I knew I'd answered this earlier today but there are so many social media formats it took me ages to find what I'd said - WhatsApp as it turned out.Space Waye is currently closed to the public, only open to professionals in common with similar centres across London (EG Townmead Road in Kew/Mortlake and the ones in LB Ealing). This may change in a few weeks once certain issues are ironed out and any reopening is likely to be coordinated across all London boroughs, or at minimum West London boroughs. Most W London Boroughs (including Hounslow, Richmond and Ealing) accept waste regardless of where it's come from. The main reason they were closed in the first place was because the guidance from central government that trips to the tip were regarded as non-essential and therefore to be discouraged.The issues related to reopening include social distancing for the public and workers (these centres are often not easily adapted for this); potential traffic issues if there is heavy demand combined with distancing; resource - some staff have been redeployed to cover for sickness and to increase capacity in other areas of the service (household collections in Hounslow are up 30-40% and operating normally with successful collections well over 99%). Furthermore, fly tipping in Hounslow has not increased to any measurable extent. This is also true across West London though I believe there are bigger problems in the country and other parts of London.  Reopening will happen, but is likely to be several weeks away

Guy Lambert ● 2377d

Update - likely to be quicker than I previously thought, subject to updated guidance from central gov.

Guy Lambert ● 2377d

It's a real shame that some Councils stopped their garden waste collections.  That was something that neighbours could have shared and which isn't available in the neighbourhood recycling banks which some Councils provide.I read that systems for distancing are being organised for Household Waste and Recycling Centres.

Philippa Bond ● 2377d

There are still a lot of arguments over whether trips to the HWRCs are necessary ones.

Philippa Bond ● 2377d