Changes to restrictions at South Tyneside’s Middlefields Recycling Village - this is what you need to know

The centre in the Middlefields Industrial Estate reopened on May 11 after a lengthy closure during the early stages of the Covid-19 lockdown.

New rules included limits on vehicles attending, an 'essential waste only' policy and a range of social distancing measures to keep visitors and staff safe.

Currently, garden waste, wood, cardboard and general waste can be recycled at the site.

But from Tuesday August 4, the Recycling Village will accept plasterboard and rubble up to a limit of six sacks or equivalent.

A rule limiting one car or 'car derived van' with a permit in the ‘tipping zones’ will also be changed - with four vehicles now allowed in each of the two zones.

The changes will increase the maximum number of cars on site at any time from four to eight and increase vehicle throughput from 60 cars per hour.

However, the 'odd and even' vehicle registration system will remain in place with visits permitted on certain days determined by number plates.

The Recycling Village is now accepting all items, except mattresses and carpets, and vans are still not allowed on the site.

Cllr Joan Atkinson, lead member for area management and community safety on South Tyneside Council, welcomed the changes.

“Feedback on our set-up and social distancing at the Recycling Village has been very positive and I’d like to thank residents for their support and understanding," she said.

“We continue to work hard to ensure social distancing guidelines are met for the safety of both staff and site visitors and that the site continues to run as safely and efficiently as possible.

"In line with the '1m plus' guidance from national government, we now feel the time is right to open up our Recycling Village to more vehicles.

"However, while more than one user can be in each zone, there will only be one person allowed in each pier or gantry at any time.”

Cllr Atkinson added: “We're still a little way from operating the site as we did before the pandemic.

"We are still not able to accommodate large vans or trailers and we cannot accept mattresses or carpet for recycling.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and hope residents will continue to work with us to make these measures a success.”

The Recycling Village will continue to open between 8am and 8pm and traffic management measures will remain in place.

Site users are also reminded not to queue onto Boldon Lane for road safety reasons.

For more information about waste and recycling visit: www.southtyneside.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling

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