Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, attended the official unveiling of the revamped facility, which now has extra capacity to meet growing demand and takes more materials, such as mattresses, for recycling.
The site is managed by the council-owned waste contractor, Bristol Waste Company, which is also responsible for household waste collections in the city, and features Bristol Waste’s first reuse shop.
Mr Rees, said: “We are proud to be the leading English core city for recycling, but we know there is always more that can be done.
“By redeveloping this facility, we are supporting residents to increase their recycling efforts even further. The new reuse shop will also allow pre-loved items to find a new home, reducing the amount of items being thrown away and offering people the chance to purchase furniture and technology at reduced prices.”
Mr Rees added that he expected to soon announce more “good news” about the development of the Hartcliffe Way reuse and recycling centre in South Bristol.
Reuse
To mark the Avonmouth facility’s change in focus from disposal to reuse, the site will now be named the ‘Household Reuse and Recycling Centre’. It is hoped that the changes will help Bristol increase its recycling rate further to help it reach its recycling target of 50% in 2020 and encourage reuse.
Profits from the sale of reusable items will be reinvested in waste reduction schemes, as well as supporting local charities. A reuse workshop has also been built into the site to support this work.
Work to improve the recycling centre began in September 2019, with the site remaining open to the public three days a week throughout the redevelopment process.
Bristol city council’s waste contract manager, David Pemble said: “We’re really pleased to see Bristol’s very first Reuse and Recycling Centre opening today in Avonmouth. The reuse shop will supply a wide range of low cost household products to the people of Bristol. It will be the first local authority owned reuse shop in the region to sell electronics that would otherwise have had to be recycled.
“The facility will be available for residents to bring their pre-loved household items, and the team here will ensure that if it can’t be fixed, repaired and re-used then every effort will be made to get it recycled.”
Bristol Waste
The Bristol Waste Company was awarded a ten-year contract to provide integrated waste management and disposal services across the city in 2016 following the early termination of its waste contract with Kier (see letsrecycle.com story).
Tony Lawless, managing director of the Bristol Waste Company, said: “This exciting new site, with Bristol Waste’s first ever reuse shop, will save valuable resources, offer low cost household items to local residents and help us reach our ambitious recycling target of 50% by 2020.
“We are also pleased to announce that the improvements will give residents reduced waiting times, better access, more materials accepted and a safer environment.”
There are currently two Household Reuse and Recycling Centre’s in Bristol and Bristol Waste has submitted planning permission for a third in the South of the city.
A spokeswoman told letsrecycle.com: “We are waiting a decision on this but remain hopeful we will be able to bring the new facility to the residents of Bristol.”
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