Recycling Centres Re-opening

Published: 12 May 2020

Re-opening of recycling centres (COVID-19)

The plans to re-open waste recycling centres are nearing completion and this is the update on dates and the new measures being introducing at the sites, to ensure social distancing is managed to keep communities and crews safe. The key information and advice is provided below.
Opening of sites
The opening of the sites is planned as follows:
• Weston-Super-Mare recycling centre (Aisecome Way) will open on Monday 18th May. The centre will open on extended hours for the first five days Monday (18th) – Friday (22nd) from 6.30am to 7.30pm. From 23 May and thereafter revert to the usual summer opening times of 8am to 6pm.
• Portishead recycling centre is planned to re-open on Wednesday 27 May
• Backwell recycling centre is planned to open on Friday 29 May.
Use of sites
In line with Government guidelines, visits to the recycling centres can only be made if the waste cannot be disposed of via kerbside collections, or safely stored at home. Examples of items that would need to be taken to the recycling centre include:
• a build-up of excess non-recyclable waste, where storing sacks is leading to public or environmental health issues, such as bags being opened by animals, smell, rodents
• a broken fridge where the only place to store it would block a fire escape route would be essential. However, a broken fridge that can be safely stored at your home would be considered non-essential.
Social Distancing and safety
To ensure social distancing measures are managed, the following measures are being introduced:
• Vehicles allowed into the site will be restricted to a limited number
• Only one person will be allowed outside each vehicle at one time. Exceptions will be made for people with mobility issues where two people can unload the same vehicle.
• Staff at the site won’t be able to help unload. People should only bring what they can comfortably lift on their own.
• Only one person at each skip at any one time, with 2m social distancing in place.
• Bring protective gloves to avoid injury and to protect yourself from infection. Staff will be required to wear gloves as their PPE (not masks at this time).
• Residents should not visit the site if they are:
o symptomatic with coronavirus (COVID-19)
o in a 14-day household isolation.
o extremely vulnerable and are remaining at home for shielding purposes
Queues
The above measures are likely to result in queues and to help reduce these we are:
• Not allowing trailers to use the sites
• Introducing an ‘odds and even’s’ system – Different days will be allocated to restrict the number of vehicles trying to use the site. This will be based on the last number on the vehicles number plate and whether it is odd or even:
Odd: AB59 REY (1,3,5,7,9) Monday, Thursday and Saturday
Even: CD62 WST (0,2,4,6,8) Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Both Odds and Evens to enter on Tuesday.
• Asking residents to check their route using a traffic app, such as google maps, before they leave home.
• Introducing a fair use policy and asking residents to be considerate and limit their use to once a month to give more people the opportunity to go.
• Asking residents to familiarise themselves with the layout of the sites and to pack their vehicles accordingly
Further information
A full list of items we accept can be found on the NSC website:
https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/…/w…/recyclingcentres/recycle/
Check the website, or our social media pages for more information and updates. (https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/waste/ Social media: https://www.facebook.com/nsrecyclingandwaste/ & twitter: ns_recycling )