Highland Council confirms Household Waste Recycling Centre in Aviemore is to reopen from Monday as coronavirus lockdown eases
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Aviemore is one of a number of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) across the Highlands that will be reopening next week as Covid-19 restrictions are gradually eased.
However the HMRCs at Grantown and Kingussie will remain closed according to the latest announcement from Highland Council.
Opening hours at the Aviemore tip will be 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and strict controls will be in place – to help manage social distancing and to ensure the anticipated high number of visitors, and volume of waste, can be handled safely and efficiently.
It is part of a phased approach to re-opening the sites and is for essential waste disposal only.
Residents are advised that journeys to a HWRC must only be undertaken if their waste cannot be stored safely at home – meaning the waste cannot be stored without causing risk of injury or harm.
Visitors are advised to check the council's website before travelling to one of the centres to check it will be open as planned and to find out what restrictions are in place.
The first phase will see only cars being permitted access to the sites and the materials accepted will be restricted to bagged household waste and garden waste – to cut down on time spent at the site, householders should bring garden waste in bags and empty the contents into containers.
The reason for the restrictions on vehicles and materials is to reduce the time spent at the sites by individuals, so that as many as people as possible can pass through the sites quickly and safely, enabling traffic to flow more freely.
Only one person will be permitted to leave their vehicle, to dispose of their waste, and site staff are unable to help with handling waste so visitors should only bring waste they can carry and empty into the containers.
Councillor Allan Henderson, the chairman of the Communities and Places Committee, said: “I am pleased that we are now in a position to confirm that 14 of the HWRCs are able to re-open from Monday.
"Last week, the Scottish Government updated Covid-19 restrictions, permitting HWRCs across the country to be re-opened from 1st June 2020, if safe to do so.
"The council’s waste team has been working hard to ensure that as many of the 20 sites across the Highland region can open from this date. However, we need to be clear that sites can only re-open when we have adequate staffing in place and it is safe to do so.
“All HWRC now need to be managed to make sure visitors move around the site as little as possible and leave as quickly as they can. As we have seen in other parts of the country, severe delays and queuing traffic are expected when the sites initially re-open, so I would like to remind householders that journeys to a HWRC must only be undertaken for essential waste disposal only and if your waste cannot be stored at home safely.
"If you can temporarily store your waste in a way that does not pose a risk to your or others safety or human health, then you must continue to do so.
“If your local HWRC is not currently on the list of those that are re-opening on June 1, please be assured that council officers will be regularly assessing the situation.
"Each site is different and presents its own particular set of challenges but when we are confident that the resources and safety controls are in place, these sites will also be re-opened. As we are able to re-open more sites we will issue this information on the council website and through social media.
“Over the coming weeks, once we are satisfied that the amount of waste and visitor numbers using the sites are at safe and manageable levels, we will move to Phase 2, which will see more types of waste being introduced to the list of items that are accepted.
"It is vitally important that householders check the new guidance about using a HWRC on our website and in the local press before they set off or risk being turned away.”
Traffic management systems will be in operation in the surrounding area of a HWRC. Staff will be in place at the entrance to each site to speak with visitors and advise on waiting times and procedures on site. If a queue is too large, some vehicles may be turned away and asked to return later.
Smaller centres, such as Grantown and Kingussie, which will remain closed until there are enough staff and that officers are confident the safety procedures on these sites can be managed effectively to allow social distancing.
Robust hygiene standards will be observed to help prevent the spread of the virus and residents are reminded not to visit the site if they are showing symptoms of Covid-19.
Strictly no commercial waste or recycling will be accepted.
