Potential changes at Household Recycling Centres (HRCs), Blandford HRC to close for 10 days

Dorset Council is currently looking at whether they can change current arrangements to allow more visitors at their Household Recycling Centres (HRCs, or ‘the tip’) across the county.

They also plan to close Blandford HRC for 10 days at the end of September to allow for essential works.

Household Recycling Centres – Reopening parking bays and resale areas

When HRCs reopened in late May, every other parking bay was closed off and resale areas were shut to help visitors socially distance and reduce contact with items from other households.

However, now that these public health measures are widely understood and mitigated against, the Council is working closely with site operators W&S Recycling to test the opening of more parking bays at various HRCs in order to accommodate more visitors and reduce queuing times.

We will also try reopening resale areas on a limited basis in the interest of reusing more of the items dropped off. Visitors to these areas should note the following: –

• Hand sanitiser will be available, and all visitors will be reminded to make use of it
• Visitors will be advised not to touch surfaces and products unless necessary
• Payments are to be made using a card contactless system. Cash will only be taken if the exact amount is given.

We ask that site users continue to observe social distancing measures when visiting a HRC. Unfortunately, site employees are still currently unable to help with unloading and lifting waste.

If this testing proves successful, we may introduce the new arrangements at all sites in due course while continuing to monitor the situation in line with updated public health guidance emerging from central government.

Please note that all Dorset HRCs move to Winter opening hours (10am to 4pm daily) from Thursday 1 October.

 

Blandford Household Recycling Centre – Temporary closure

In the interests of public safety, Blandford’s main Waste Transfer Centre building will be undergoing essential works to replace the roof from late September.

Part of this work requires the adjoining HRC to be closed for 10 days, from Wednesday 30 September to Friday 9 October inclusive.

During this time, visitors should either keep hold of their waste until the site reopens, or use an alternate HRC at Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Wareham or Dorchester.

While the repair work will continue until mid-November, Blandford HRC will re-open on Saturday 10 October as normal (10am to 4pm daily), although garden waste will need to be accessed differently via steps.

Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services, said:

“It’s important that we balance the public need for the services provided by our Household Recycling Centres with our responsibility towards preventing the spread of Covid-19. If we can reopen parking bays and reuse areas, and are confident that health and safety has not been compromised, it’s a positive step towards getting our services back to some kind of normality.

The same is true of our essential works at Blandford. The Waste Transfer Barn roof needs to be replaced, but we are unable to do this entirely without closing the HRC for a brief spell. While the works will take around a month and a half, only 10 days of this will have a direct impact on Blandford residents and we have limited this closure to as short a time as possible for safety reasons.

I’d like to thank everyone for their continuing patience and understanding at this time.”