PR 2658

BASINGSTOKE'S NEW RECYCLING CENTRE GEARING UP FOR REOPENING

The countdown has begun for the reopening of Basingstoke's improved Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), one of the busiest in Hampshire.

Construction of the centre, which has been expanded to double its previous size, is virtually complete, and it will be operating at full capacity once more from 1 March. Queues to use the popular site often stretched onto the main highway, particularly during busy summer periods, making expansion a necessity.

Thanks to a grant from Defra, an area adjacent to the existing site has been used to expand the HWRC. The result is a mirror image of the old site, which provides double the amount of bins and car parking spaces, reducing time on site and improving the overall customer experience.

A temporary site has been in operation during the building work, which has meant restrictions on accepting some waste items, and also necessitated the use of platform steps to access the bins. Now that the construction is nearly complete, restrictions are being lifted and the full range of household waste materials will once again be accepted from 1 March, and the steps will no longer need to be used.

Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Environment (South), Councillor, Tim Knight, said: "I'm very pleased that the new site will shortly be up and running, and I'd like to thank Basingstoke residents for their patience while construction took place. It's a vast improvement on the former site, and I'm certain that everyone who uses it will find it a much better facility. It will also help to improve the site's recycling rate."

Basingstoke HWRC is open seven days a week from 8am-4pm (and from 8am-7pm from 1 April to 30 September). For hints and tips about recycling, log on to www.recycleforhampshire.org.uk.

ENDS

For further information please contact: Sarette Martin on 01962 847666
sarette.martin@hants.gov.uk

24/02/2006