Ministers urge councils to reopen waste and recycling centres

Written by Rachel Martin

Local Government Minister Simon Clarke and Environment Minister Rebecca Pow have written to councils urging them to reopen household waste and recycling centres.

The letter highlights the impact on rural communities and argues that reopening centres would reduce the risk of fly-tipping.

Rural bodies have long been calling for recycling centres to reopen. It comes just a week after NFU Scotland said instances of fly-tipping reported to it had skyrocketed since the lockdown began.

A calf in West Renfrewshire choked to death on a crisp packet dumped with domestic waste. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, images have circulated on social media of a bull with an aluminium drink can in its mouth.

The letter also highlights additional guidance published by Defra to support councils in maintaining access to these key facilities and, where necessary, with managing the process of reopening.

Household waste recycling centres play an essential role to the economy by providing the recycled materials that industry relies on to make new products, as well as helping householders dispose of their waste and reducing the risk of fly-tipping.

“We know that councils have had to make difficult operational decisions based on their local needs and
priorities, including deploying staff to maintain key kerbside collections,” it read.

“However, we welcome more recent news that some councils are now reopening household waste recycling centres that have been closed.

“We urge others to follow suit where it is safe to do so while managing social distancing requirements in the most practicable way.

“We would like to reassure you that waste and recycling centres are permitted by law to be open.

It is reasonable for people to leave home to take their bulk rubbish to those centres where the material cannot be stored safely at home or disposed of through other legitimate routes.

“We have also been working closely with the Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP, and the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Martin Hewitt, to ensure that reopening these facilities can be managed by local authorities without diverting police resources.”

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