Taunton Recycling Centre to reopen following major blaze

The blaze started accidentally, the fire service said

A recycling centre is set to reopen following a month-long closure caused by a major fire.

Taunton Recycling Centre has been closed to the public since a fire broke out in the material recovery facility (MRF) building in October.

The site will reopen on 13 November and residents are being warned there are likely to be large queues.

Wellington and Bridgwater Recycling Sites will return to their normal opening hours.

Firefighters began tackling the flames in the centre's textiles area at about 03:00 BST on 3 October.

Up to 60 firefighters and eight appliances were in attendance to tackle the fire at the Biffa-owned site.

The site's MRF building was deemed "damaged beyond repair" by structural engineers after sustaining 80% damage.

Larges plumes of smoke could be seen coming from the recycling centre

"We know that residents have been waiting patiently to access the recycling site - we thank you for your understanding and patience during this period of closure," said Dixie Darch, Somerset Council portfolio holder for climate change and the environment.

"Safety had to be our priority and we couldn't open the site until it was safe to do so."

Residents are being urged to check the online queue camera before setting off.

"The first few weeks of reopening are likely to be extremely busy, if you are able to continue to safely store your waste, please hold off your visit for the time being," Ms Darch added.

Opening times

From Monday, Taunton Recycling Site will be open seven days a week between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Friday, and 09:00 and 16:00 Saturday and Sunday.

During busier times, staff will meet and greet visitors to help with the flow of traffic.

Wellington and Bridgwater Recycling Sites, which have been open seven days a week since Taunton closed, will revert to their original opening hours from Monday.

Wellington will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Bridgwater closed Wednesdays.

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