Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees, visited the construction site for a brand new Reuse & Recycling Centre in the south of Bristol.
The recycling centre, based on Hartcliffe Way, will be one of the largest household recycling centres in the region. It will also be home to the city’s largest reuse shop and workshop.
The shop will sell good quality, pre-loved items, saving them from going to waste. A team of staff and trained volunteers will ensure everything is fit for purpose and cleaned before being made available for purchase at low cost. It will be the second of its kind in Bristol, with the first opening in Avonmouth in June 2020.
Bristol Waste’s first reuse shop has already diverted more than 80 tonnes from the waste stream and supported local charities with donations of items including bikes, mobility aids and household items. Popular items for sale include televisions, paint, furniture and vacuums.
The pandemic made us value our precious resources more. It highlighted the need to waste less and recycle more in our own homes and beyond
By redirecting reusable items from disposal, saves valuable resources, reduces costs and helps Bristol reach its recycling targets. Profits from the sale of reusable items are reinvested in waste reduction schemes, as well as supporting local charities.
Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, said: “It is great to deliver this facility that the residents of south Bristol have been waiting for, for many years. I am delighted to see the developments already made, and all the good work happening in the process.
“We are proud to be the leading English Core City for recycling, but we know there is always more that can be done, and this new facility will help us to reach our ambitious recycling targets.
“Part of our commitment to making Bristol cleaner and greener is further reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill, and this centre will help us to achieve this goal by supporting people to recycle, repair and reuse – giving pre-loved items a second life.”
Valuable resources
The centre will bring additional recycling capacity to Bristol, helping to meet growing demand and providing residents with a modern, accessible, facility.
A third site in the city will help to reduce congestion at the two existing sites. A split-level layout and one-way traffic system will enable residents to safely sort their items into easily accessible, dedicated bins, making it easier and more convenient for everyone to recycle their household waste.
Tony Lawless, Managing Director, Bristol Waste Company said: “Overseeing a project of this size and scale during a pandemic and through Brexit has not been without its challenges. It makes seeing it take shape, and staying on track, on time and within budget, even more exciting.
“The pandemic made us value our precious resources more. It highlighted the need to waste less and recycle more in our own homes and beyond. This new site will provide a solid infrastructure for the south of our city to lead the way to a more sustainable future.
“The Recycling Centre will help save valuable resources, offer low-cost household items to local residents and help us reach our ambitious recycling targets.”
The site is due to open to the public in 2022. It will be open seven days a week and will only close three days a year; 25 and 26 December and 1 January.