Demolition work is due to start next week on the Taunton Recycling site following the major fire which has closed the site since early October.
Specialist equipment is expected to arrive over the weekend, with demolition of the badly damaged Material Recovery Facility (MRF) due to start on Monday (30 Oct).
The MRF adjacent to the public recycling area is beyond repair and the recycling site is not safe to open until it is demolished.
It is not yet known how long it will take to complete the demolition, but it is likely to be between one and two weeks.
The site in Priorswood, which is run by Biffa on behalf of Somerset Council, will remain closed until demolition is complete.
Wellington and Bridgwater recycling sites will continue to open seven days a week – supported by staff redeployed from Taunton – until the Taunton site is reopened.
Wellington is particularly busy on a Wednesday, so residents are advised to use the Bridgwater site if practical and avoid Wednesday in Wellington if possible.
Kerbside collections are not affected by the closure and residents should continue to put their refuse and recycling out as usual.
Residents who would usually use the Taunton site in the Priorswood area are asked to either:
- Hold on to their recycling if it can wait
- Put it in their kerbside recycling if it is the right kind of material
- Try one of the council’s other 15 sites if it is waste that urgently needs to go
Councillor Dixie Darch, Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change said:
We know the closure of the site has been frustrating for many residents. We are pleased that we are getting closer to safely reopening the site. We thank you for your patience during this time.
Fire services were called to the site in Priorswood in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 3 October and up to 60 firefighters and seven appliances were involved in tackling the blaze.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Somerset Council has 16 recycling sites across the county which are managed by Biffa on the Council’s behalf.
