All recycling banks in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s car parks will be removed next month as the firm that collected and processed the material has ended its service.
The recycling banks were serviced by national waste firm DS Smith to boost the kerbside collections provided by Somerset Waste Partnership for Sedgemoor District Council.
After DS Smith decided to close its Exeter centre and cease local bring bank services, attempts to find a replacement firm proved inconclusive as no company responded to a formal tender.
The services have been popular for many years at local car parks, including Lynton Road in Burnham-On-Sea, Bank Street in Highbridge and Berrow Village Car Park.
Council and charity bring banks will be removed at the same time, but charity banks may be able to return once any remaining littering and fly-tipping at the sites has ceased.
Signs will be put up in the 11 locations to inform users of the end of the service, and all parishes and local councillors are being notified.
A Somerset Waste Partnership spokesperson said: “Following the DS Smith decision to end its services, all waste firms were able to bid for the formal tender. None did, reflecting the falling value of bring bank items over the past few years and the low quality of materials collected from these banks.”
“The bring banks attract fly-tipping and litter, while much of the contents have proved to be a mixture of rubbish and commercial waste that companies should legally have paid to have removed rather than expecting council tax payers to meet the bill.”
The bring banks took a variety of recyclable materials, from cans, card and paper to both glass and plastic bottles, and beverage cartons.
They were the last public sector recycling banks in Somerset as all others were removed with the county-wide roll-out of the Sort It Plus kerbside recycling service that collects a dozen materials every week and the growing range of materials taken at recycling centres.
Any residents that have used the bring banks are advised to add materials to their kerbside collections, or take them to Highbridge Recycling Centre at Isleport Business Park, Bennett Road, Highbridge, TA9 4PW (open Monday 8am-7pm; Thursday, Friday, Saturday 8am-4pm; Sunday 8am-1pm).
