Frustrations over recycling centre closures in Gloucestershire
Hempsted household recycling centre in Gloucester closed this week for site improvements and environmental upgrades.
People in Cheltenham and Gloucester are facing significant challenges disposing their rubbish due to the temporary shutdown of local recycling facilities.
Hempsted household recycling centre in Gloucester closed this week for site improvements and environmental upgrades.
The site is not expected to reopen until mid-November.
Gloucester residents are having to travel up to 12 miles to the nearest recycling centre, Wingmoor Farm near Bishop’s Cleeve .
Additionally, Cheltenham residents have been without their own recycling centre since January 2022.
Despite discussions between Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrat leaders and their county counterparts to reopen the Swindon Road site, it remains closed.
Residents were informed just last week that fridges and freezers would no longer be accepted at the county’s household recycling centres.
Reform UK group leader Vernon Smith criticised the closures and new regulations, saying residents are forced to drive considerable distances only to encounter limited booking slots at overloaded sites.
Councillor Lisa Spivey, leader of the Lib Dem administration at Shire Hall, defended the measures as necessary investments for future efficiency and safety.
She acknowledged the inconvenience of temporary closures but affirmed her party’s commitment to improving facilities.
Hempsted’s upgrades require extensive work, she said, Pyke Quarry has extended its operational days to deal with increased demand.
Gloucestershire County Council highlighted that disruptions to fridge and freezer collections are due to national processing issues.
They assured residents that solutions are being pursued and normal service will be restored as soon as feasible.