SOME recycling banks are to be removed across Weymouth and west Dorset.

Dorset Waste Partnership says selected 'bring banks' will be 'rationalised' by removing recycling banks for glass, plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard across the county from late July.

These include some supermarket sites (see list below). 

With a 77% decline in their use since 2011, these banks have become increasingly expensive to maintain and largely redundant since the ‘Recycle for Dorset’ kerbside service has been rolled out, the DWP says.

By removing these containers, the DWP is set to save around £90,000 each year.

The DWP will continue to provide banks at some locations, subject to landowners’ agreement, for the following materials that can’t currently be recycled using the kerbside service:

• Foil

• Cartons

• Textiles

• Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

The DWP has arranged with its contractors to begin removing banks for glass, plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard w/c 25 July, with a deadline for completion on 28 August.

In order to ensure that residents are given sufficient notice, the DWP have been placing signs on every single bank that is due to be removed and has informed district, town and parish councils.

Residents can continue to recycle glass, plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard using the ‘Recycle for Dorset’ kerbside collection service. They can also recycle these materials seven days a week at all the DWP’s household recycling centres across the county.

Anyone with concerns about recycling their excess material should contact the DWP’s Education Team via the Dorset for You website. These officers are able to assist with requests for additional recycling capacity and can offer advice on how to reduce and manage waste.

Privately maintained bring banks – such as those run by supermarkets – are unaffected by this activity.

Residents can find a list of alternate recycling sites at http://www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling.

Cllr Anthony Alford, chairman of the DWP Joint Committee, said: “With kerbside collections now available to all Dorset residents, we can stop duplicating services we conveniently provide at the kerbside and household recycling centres. We can also prevent potential fly-tipping and misuse by commercial traders, and overall save money for our partner councils.

Any residents who currently use these bring banks can maximise use of their kerbside ‘Recycle for Dorset’ service, take their items to a household recycling centre, or contact the DWP to discuss additional capacity and ways to manage their excess waste."

You can find a full list of affected bring bank sites below:-

West Dorset

Sherborne Newlands North Car Park DT9 3JQ

Beaminster Yarn Barton Car Park DT8 3EF

Lyme Regis Holmbush Car Park, Pound St DT7 3HX

Bridport Co-op car park, Sea Road North DT6 4RR

Bridport Morrisons car park, West Bay Road DT6 4SB

Dorchester Fairfield Car Park, Weymouth Ave DT1 1QW

Weymouth and Portland

Portland Tesco car park, Park Road, Easton DT5 2AD

Weymouth Asda car park, Newstead Road DT4 8JQ

Weymouth Southill car park, Radipole Lane, Weymouth DT4 9SS

Weymouth Morrisons car park, Dorchester Road DT3 5AX

Weymouth Littlemoor shopping centre car park, Littlemoor Rd DT3 6HP

Sites in Purbeck, North and East Dorset are also affected