Southam's Wood Street car park recycling centre to be removed

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has listened to Southam residents' concerns as inconsiderate fly-tippers force the closure of Southam's recycling centre in Wood Street car park.

Over the last few years Southam residents have complained about the District Council's household recycling centre in Wood Street car park due to the unsightly mess caused mainly by businesses leaving material at the recycling centre and black bag rubbish and other non-recyclable material being left in or alongside the wheeled bins. 

Council Officers have fought a constant battle to clear discarded boxes and bags of waste from the area but problems have now become so difficult to manage that much of the material collected is being sent to landfill instead of being recycled as it is so contaminated.

The District Council in response to local concerns has decided enough is enough and the facilities are to be taken away from 9 January 2012.

Cllr Mike Brain, Technical Services Portfolio says: "It is very regrettable that we have had to take this course of action, as we want to do everything we can to encourage people to recycle. Unfortunately the actions of a few have resulted in this facility being removed. 

“Nevertheless residents can still recycle all of the materials that the centre accepted, on their doorstep using the District Council's kerbside household collection service. These materials include: paper, cardboard, rigid household plastic packaging and plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, aluminium foil, aerosols and cartons which can all be placed loose in your blue-lidded bin and not in plastic bags as these cannot currently be recycled.

“Any excess material that does not fit in your wheeled bin will be collected if placed in a plastic or cardboard box next to bin (or your black boxes if you are on box collections).

“Not only can fly-tipping attract vermin, it is not good for the environment and diverts District Council resources away from delivering front-line services. We have made every effort to keep this site going, but the piles of rubbish understandably seemed to prevent residents from using it."

Commercial recycling and non-recyclable material should not be left at the District Council's recycling centres. Businesses should arrange their own refuse and recycling collections.

There is also an alternative recycling centre at the Tesco on Northfield Road in Southam.

More information about the District Council's recycling services can be found on the website or in the Council Tax booklet together with the Refuse & Recycling calendar delivered with Council Tax bills at the beginning of the year.