News

Update on plans for second Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC)

Newport City Council recognises that queues to use the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) are an ongoing issue at peak times and have been for many years, causing frustration for residents.

To help alleviate this problem the council introduced a scheme where the direction of traffic around the site is reversed to create extra capacity for waiting vehicles.

The council also acknowledges that because of recent good weather at Easter and over the Bank Holidays there have been a peak in the number of users also impacted by a decision by both Monmouthshire and Caerphilly local authorities banning non-residents from using their facilities.

Taking all this into consideration the council is progressing plans to build a second HWRC in Newport.

Councillor Roger Jeavons, the council’s cabinet member for City Services, said the authority recognises the need for a second HWRC as the city has the lowest provision in Wales

“We stated our commitment to a second HWRC site in our corporate plan and we are exploring possible sites to take this forward.

“We know some residents believe the introduction of small bins has also led to an increase in the use of the HWRC site but in reality provisional figures show that recycling and food has increased by 25 per cent and residual waste decreased by 30 per cent.

“This means our April figures show an overall increase in recycling to around 65 per cent, which is really encouraging,” said Cllr Jeavons.

To date 45,000 bins have been delivered to residents across the city. This has generated almost 10,000 new requests for extra recycling containers

The introduction of smaller bins has also seen an increase in the number of families with young children using the council’s nappy sack service, thereby cutting down on residual bin waste.

The number of community litter picks increased as community groups engaged in the national Spring Clean week where the council handed out equipment to help these go ahead.