Burnley recycling centre to remain closed during lockdown

Lancashire County Council's recycling centres are to remain closed as the national lockdown continues.
Fly-tipping in Bacup Road, ClivigerFly-tipping in Bacup Road, Cliviger
Fly-tipping in Bacup Road, Cliviger

The council said it was keeping sites closed in line with health protection regulations passed at the start of the pandemic which do not class trips to recycling sites as "essential journeys".

The Burnley Express reported on March 24th that the county council was closing all its tips as a result of the outbreak.

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However, this has led to an increase in fly-tipping, none more so than in a rural part of Bacup Road, Cliviger.

Burnley recycling centreBurnley recycling centre
Burnley recycling centre

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham has written to the county council asking if there was anything that could be done to "facilitate better household waste during this period".

In the letter, he enquires about the possibility of partially opening the Balderstone Lane site with a strict control on the number of visitors allowed.

However County Coun. Geoff Driver CBE, leader of Lancashire County Council, said tips in the county would not be reopening and urged people to dispose of waste using household collections.

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"We closed our recycling centres in line with government advice at the start of the lockdown, and the laws which were passed to help the country deal with the virus make clear that people should stay at home except for specific essential journeys," he said.

"I know how much people value the service our recycling centres provide, and we're now a number of weeks into the lockdown, but the reason they were closed has not changed, and they must remain closed to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We are being advised that we have not yet experienced the peak of the virus in the north of England, and while we would all like to get back to normal, people shouldn't forget that the lockdown is in place to save lives and reduce the pressure on vital health and care services.

"The vast majority of people understand this, and I'd like to thank them for helping all Lancashire's councils by continuing to responsibly dispose of their waste using the household collections, and by keeping hold of anything which they'd usually take to a recycling centre.

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"Waste collections are continuing, so there is no excuse for fly-tipping, and we are working with colleagues in the districts and boroughs to take enforcement action where fly tipping is reported to bring those responsible to book."

Staff who usually work at the recycling sites have been redeployed to help maintain district council collections, and the operation of the county council's waste processing facilities.