RECYCLING centres in Warwickshire will be reopening their gates next week – but residents will have to pre-book slots.
The decision follows guidance from central government giving local authorities the green light to reopen household waste and recycling centres (HWRC) when able to safely do so, with staff and visitors able to follow social distancing rules.
Work has been ongoing to ensure sufficient staff are available to open and supervise the safety of centres, which will re-open on Monday (May 18).
But three of Warwickshire’s smaller HWRCs – at Stockton, Wellesbourne and Shipston – will not reopen on Monday. A date for their reopening will be announced in the coming weeks.
Although it has given permission for local authorities to reopen HWRCs, government guidance advises centres should only be used where essential.
If possible waste should either be stored safely at home or put with kerbside collections which have been maintained by the district and borough councils.
In order to safely manage numbers at the centres when they reopen, and to minimise the effects of traffic in the areas, Warwickshire County Council is finalising an online booking service which must be used to book a slot at a centre before turning up. More details will be released later this week.
County environment spokeswoman Coun Heather Timms said: “We have been acutely aware that residents want to get to our recycling centres so we are delighted at the revised guidance from government.
“Reopening on May 18 is a huge step towards resuming something approaching a normal service. When this happens, I ask that customers are patient and show kindness and respect to each other and staff. I would also like to extend the thanks of the county council towards our colleagues at borough and district councils who have supported managing waste throughout the lockdown period by maintaining, and in some cases extending, what they have been collecting at kerbsides.
“Our officers have been working very hard to make sure that we can be open as soon as this was safe to do so, both for staff and for members of the public and I would like to thank them for their efforts in recent weeks.”
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