Ashfield Independents call for recycling sites to be reopened

Samantha Deakin, Ashfield Independent Councillor for Sutton Central and East is leading calls for Nottinghamshire County Council to reopen their recycling centres in the county.

She was speaking after councils across the country launched a review into their closures.

Councillor Deakin is calling for Conservative-led Nottinghamshire County Council to work with their waste contractor Veolia to start the process of reopening after other areas in the country started to reopen.

The recycling centres were closed by Nottinghamshire Council on March 23 and included Hucknall Recycling Centre on Wigwam Lane and Kirkby Recycling Centre on the Lowmoor Industrial Estate in the Ashfield District.

Councillor Deakin said, “We recently had the worst incident of fly-tipping we’ve ever experienced in our district in Huthwaite. Unlicensed waste contractors are having a field day because of the closure.

“The Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority have even had to issue guidance to residents not to light fires in their gardens. This was after a spate of call outs about residents burning waste in their gardens. Obviously, a controlled re-opening of our tips would have to adhere to strict guidelines on social distancing to protect staff and users.

“Residents have contacted me in huge numbers however saying that there is surely less risk visiting open air recycling centres than say visiting supermarkets. I have to say, I agree with them.”

The Ashfield Independents have contacted the county council to ask them to review the closures. Ashfield District Council is the only council in Nottinghamshire to have retained a full bin collection.

Residents are now being encouraged to keep their bulky waste and not burn it. If any resident in the Ashfield District need to use the council’s bulky waste service call 0800 183 8484 or email [email protected]

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority have confirmed that the number of ‘controlled burns’ in resident’s gardens has gone up 123% compared with this time last year. They have now advised residents not to light fires in their garden during the coronavirus pandemic.