Highbridge recycling centre reopens with restrictions

Highbridge Recycling Centre has re-opened today (Monday), but only for essential visits.

Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) has announced the site will be one of 11 recycling centres throughout the county which will reopen this week.

Initially, the site will open from 9am to 6pm, from Monday to Wednesday and Friday, and from 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

An odd and even vehicle number plate system will be used to control numbers, with visitors only allowed to come on certain days depending on their number plate, with odd numbers on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and even numbers on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

Other restrictions include a maximum of two people per household, gloves to be worn while outside vehicles, and no trailers or large vans, 3.5 tonnes or heavier, will have access.

Temporary restrictions are also being placed on items, with only the following being accepted: rubbish and bulky items like furniture, green waste such as cuttings, leaves and hedge trimmings, large household electrical items including white goods, cookers and TVs, hazardous household chemicals such as pesticides, weed killers and insecticides.

However, items which customers would usually pay to have disposed of will not be accepted – this includes tyres, gas bottles, soil & hardcore, vehicle parts, commercial waste, plasterboard and asbestos.

Access to the normal recycling banks will not be possible, so, unless they are essential, cardboard, food and drink cans, paper, food waste, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars will not be accepted.

These items, as well as waste wood, metal, plastic pots, tubs and trays, scrap metal, TetraPaks and small electrical items can be picked up as part of kerbside collections.

Mickey Green, managing director of SWP, said: “The closure has been frustrating and we’ve wanted to see sites open as much as anyone, but we have to do it in a way which keeps people safe and the changes we’ve put in place are there to protect everyone.

“The sites are likely to be very busy, with long queues. Any trip will take much longer than usual. Strict social distancing will need to be followed and we will not tolerate any abusive behaviour. These temporary arrangements will be reviewed constantly with the aim of getting sites back to accepting all materials as soon as it’s practically possible, but it will take time.”