Biffa’s Taunton MRF ‘structurally unsafe’ after fire

The fire service was called to the scene at around 03:00 yesterday (3 October) with around 60 firefighters in attendance.

As of today at 8:42 AM, the fire department marked the incident as officially closed, signifying that the fire had been successfully extinguished and the situation had been resolved.

Somerset council said last night that its Taunton household waste and recycling centre nearby to the site will be closed “until further notice” due to the fire.

Somerset noted that it was told by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service that Biffa’s MRF, which it acquired from Viridor in 2021, “is structurally unsafe”.

We are currently in attendance at a recycling centre fire at Crown industrial estate in Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton.
We are advising residents within the area to stay inside and to keep windows and doors closed

— Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (@DSFireUpdates) October 3, 2023

Advice

Somerset council has asked residents not to come to site and hold on to their recycling if they can. Alternatively they can put it through their kerbside collections if it’s the right material, or try another other sites if they can’t.

Wellington Recycling Site will be open for the rest of the week, as will Bridgwater (which usually closes on a Wednesday).

If Taunton remains closed, Wellington (Poole) Recycling Site will open next Monday and Tuesday (9 and 10 October).

Cllr Dixie Darch, lead member for environment and climate change said: “We send our thanks to the crews from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue who promptly responded to the situation.

“We continue to work with Biffa to ensure that we can provide a household waste recycling service, including additional opening days at nearby recycling sites.”

A Biffa spokesperson added: “We would like to thank the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service who are currently on site at our Taunton Recycling Centre attending to a fire. A full investigation will commence into the cause of the fire and it would therefore not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

View from Asda of the #Taunton recycling centre fire this morning. #somerset #fire pic.twitter.com/i9fDh8nZSA

— Slinky de Mousse (@SlinkydeMousse) October 3, 2023