GMWDA outlines closure schedule for HWRCs

The four sites, on Chandos Street in Shaw, Oldham, on Clifton Road in Prestwich, Bury, on Peel Lane in Heywood, Rochdale and on Union Road, in Bolton, will all close at the end of the day on September 21.

They will be followed, at a yet-to-be specified date, by the closure of two further sites, on Lester Road in Salford and on Blackhorse Street in Blackrod, Bolton. However, these closures will be accompanied by the development of a new super site on Salford Road, in Over Hulton, Bolton.

Plans for the closures were originally confirmed in March 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story), and later ratified at a meeting of the Authoritys nine member councils in June 2011.

The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authoritys (GMWDA) network of household waste recycling centres (HWRC) currently includes 25 sites. However, a June 2011 report on the HWRC rationalisation plans alludes to the Authoritys tight financial settlement for 2011/12, and identifies the closures as the only viable way to make the scale of saving required.

It states: The reductions that have already been made in the Authoritys controllable costs
mean that finding savings of this magnitude in other areas cannot be achieved without affecting the level of service provided.

The Authority expects to save 875,000 a year from 2015/16 through the HWRC rationalisation programme.

Commenting on the closure, the chair of the Authority, councillor Neil Swannick, said: The Authority did not want to close any sites, but unfortunately financial savings had to be made.

Alternative facilities

According to the GMWDA, alternative facilities are available where sites are closed, either through the local councils kerbside collection service, or through local bring sites.

It added: In most cases there are brand new super sites which can accept up to 23 different types of materials for recycling which are within a short distance from older sites that, due to their limited size, have received little or no development.

The June 2011 report reveals that, in total, 30 million has been invested across this network since the GMWDA signed its 4 billion PFI contract with a Viridor Laing consortium in April 2009.

However, it also notes that only 18 of the 25 sites have received investment, with the remainder being subject to minor works only due to space constraints.