More than 20 neighbourhood recycling sites set to shut across Dacorum
Dacorum Borough Council has announced it will be closing more than 20 neighbourhood recycling sites across the area from December.
The authority says it will be shutting recycling sites across Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Kings Langley and Markyate in a bid to keep neighbourhoods cleaner and tidier and reduce the fly-tipping that occurs around them.
The move follows a public consultation earlier this year during which 73 per cent of respondents said fly-tipping around neighbourhood recycling sites was a significant concern.
Dacorum Borough Council says it will keep open the sites at Bellgate Shops and The Heights, both in Hemel Hempstead, as nearby residents do not currently have access to home recycling collections.
Sites offering recycling facilities for textiles and Waste, Electrical and Electronic Equipment will also remain in place.
However, from next month all other neighbourhood recycling sites around Hemel Hempstead will be closed.
These are currently located at Queen’s Square in Adeyfield, the Asda supermarket on Hillfield Road, the Bennetts Gate shops at Bennetts End, the Tudor Rose pub at Chaulden, Camelot Rugby Club, the recycling centre on Eastman Way, which is run by Hertfordshire County Council, the pay and display car park on Park Road, the Rossgate shops in Gadebridge, the village shops in Leverstock Green, Sainsbury’s in Apsley Mills, the Stoneycroft shops in Warners End and the Water Gardens car park.
The neighbourhood recycling centres impacted in Berkhamsted are located at the recycling centre on Northbridge Road, run by Hertfordshire County Council, the car park at St John’s Well Lane and the Water Lane car park.
In Tring sites at The Forge car park in the High Street, the Silk Mill Way shopping precinct and the Tesco store on London Road will close.
Sites at The Nap, to the rear of Kings Langley Library and Markyate Village Hall will also shut from next month.
A neighbourhood recycling site, also known as a bring bank or mini recycling centre is an unstaffed local collection point - typically located in public car parks, supermarkets, or village hall grounds - where residents can "bring" pre-sorted recyclable material.
Portfolio holder for neighbourhood operations at Dacorum Borough Council Robin Bromham said: “Bring sites served an important purpose before home recycling was introduced, but now they attract fly-tipping and illegal commercial waste and are a poor use of resources.
“Removing these sites will help keep our neighbourhoods cleaner and make funds available for things which benefit residents better.”