Reminder about recycling centre summer opening hours

Residents are being reminded that Shropshire’s five household recycling centres (HRCs) will continue to open from 9am to 5pm all-year-round from next month (March 2013) – and will no longer open into the early evening during the spring and summer months as in previous years.

The five HRCs are operated by Veolia Environmental Services on behalf of Shropshire Council and are located at: Shrewsbury (Battlefield Enterprise Park); Oswestry (Mile Oak Industrial Estate); Bridgnorth (Faraday Drive); Whitchurch (Waymills Industrial Park); and Craven Arms (Long Lane).

The change to spring/summer opening hours follows a review of visitor statistics for the five HRCs, which showed that in the spring and summer months when the extended opening hours were in operation, the busiest time for visitors was 11am to 1pm. On average, fewer than five per cent of visitors chose to visit the centres after 5pm. 

The centres will continue to open every day of the year, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for waste management, said:

“Despite the financial challenges we are facing we are keeping all of our household recycling centres open 362 days a year from 9am to 5pm every day. This means that each centre will remain open at the times when the vast majority of people wish to visit, meaning there should be little impact on the amount of waste that is brought to the HRCs for recycling.”

The five HRCs are out of town facilities where residents can take more than 30 different types of material for recycling. Oversized household items such as fridges and mattresses as well as any extra waste they may have can also be taken to the centres.

It is estimated that the change to opening hours will save the council £50,000 per year.