Discover Council’s new look ‘skip’ site

The design and layout of the new facility, which opened to the public last Wednesday, is in line with best practice to promote recycling and reuse and minimise waste to landfill, the Council has said.

Traffic will access the site on a one-way loop and a “meet and greet” system will be in place to advise residents of the working of the centre with directions given to the facility best suited to their needs.

The new site is on two levels, one for the public and a separate lower level for servicing of containers which will mean no temporary centre closures whilst such servicing is taking place.

Materials which can be recycled include green waste, timber, cardboard, paper and magazines, scrap metal, plastics, fridges and freezers (commercial units will be charged for), computer monitors and televisions, waste oils including engine and cooking oil, paint, fluorescent tubes, car and household batteries, washing machines, tumble dryers, dish washers and other white goods, mobile phones and small amounts of plasterboard from non-commercial sources.

Customers are being encouraged by Council to pre-sort their waste before arriving to make their experience as simple and efficient as possible.

With the refurbishment of the Waveney Road site, for which Council was awarded a Rethink Waste grant of £680,000, it is estimated that approximately an additional 25,500 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill over a 25-year period.

Over the next three years it is estimated that 2,300 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill, materials for recycling will increase by 2,500 tonnes, and there will be estaimated landfill cost savings of £250,000.

A spokesperson said: “The Council’s overall recycling level was 35% in 2011/12 and currently 38%.

“It is anticipated that this project will increase that performance to around 45% after year one and will assist the Council to achieve the 2020 target of 60%.”