Fridge and freezer collections at Warwickshire recycling centres resumed
Residents can once again dispose of fridges and freezers at tips across the county.
As of August 5, the collections were temporarily suspended after around 1,000 cooling appliances accumulated across Warwickshire County Council sites, pushing storage capacity to its limit.
The council said the backlog was due to a national shortage of capacity to recycle and process fridges, freezers and other cooling appliances.
The UK's recycling infrastructure has been significantly affected by facility fires, plant closures and limited storage capacity. Warwickshire was among numerous local authorities affected.
Since the suspension, the council said it “has made significant progress in clearing the backlog”.
The council added that it also “worked closely with the Environment Agency, which has agreed to relax specific storage requirements”, which allowed for additional outside space being allocated to increase the capacity for storing fridges and freezers across the recycling centres.
Although collections have resumed, the council has warned that capacity remains limited and is encouraging residents to consider alternative disposal options.
Cllr Darren Cheshire, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for environment, heritage and culture, said: “We would like to thank our residents for their patience and cooperation over the past few weeks.
“Following our announcement in August, we have seen very few fridges deposited at our recycling centres, and thankfully, fly-tipping has not been a significant issue.
“Having worked closely with the Environment Agency to secure additional outside storage space and having made excellent progress on clearing the existing backlog, we are now in a position to resume accepting fridges and freezers at our sites where capacity allows.
“While we did consider introducing a dedicated booking system to help manage demand and verify residency, we have decided against adding further administrative hurdles for our residents.
“We recognise that without a booking system, there remains a risk that our storage capacity could reach its limit again, which may force us to temporarily pause collections in the future. However, we feel this flexible approach is the most practical solution available to us right now.
“We are advising residents that while we are accepting fridges once again, if you are able to safely keep your old appliances in storage a little longer, please do so to help us manage capacity at our centres."
For more information go to: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/hwrc