Council is now recycling carpets and mattresses

OLD or unwanted carpets and mattresses are now being recycled by Carmarthenshire County Council.

Residents can take them along to the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Trostre (Llanelli); Nantycaws (Carmarthen); Wernddu (Ammanford) and Whitland.

The council has been working with CWM Environmental Limited – which runs the HWRCs on its behalf – to find a market for carpets and mattresses as previously they were going to landfill.

Carpets are now being shredded and used as bedding for horses while the metal and textiles in mattresses are being separated and then recycled.

The council is also working All Waste Services (AWS), the company that runs the HWRC in Llangadog. Carpets are being recycled and arrangements will hopefully be in place for mattresses to be recycled sometime in the New Year.

The council wants to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle and dispose of their waste.

Director of technical services Richard Workman said: “I am delighted we are now able to recycle carpets and mattresses. We must reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and increase our recycling rates.

“We are currently recycling approximately 45 per cent of our waste but we must achieve a 52 per cent recycling/composting rate by 2012/13.

“There are also strict targets on how much waste can be landfilled. Failure to meet either of these could result in huge fines.”

You can recycle around 30 different types of waste at the Household Waste Recycling Centres and they are all open seven days a week. Trostre, Nantycaws, Wernddu, and Whitland are open from 8.30am to 5pm and Llangadog 8am to 5pm weekdays and 10am to 4pm weekends during the winter months. All sites are closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Executive board member for the environment Councillor Philip Hughes said: “The council is committed to boosting the recycling rates in Carmarthenshire. Please help us to recycle as much of our waste as possible. All the work we are doing will improve and protect our environment now and for future generations.”

For more information on what materials can be recycled at the HWRCs visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk or telephone Carmarthenshire Direct on 01267 234567.

 

CAPTION: Senior waste officer Mike McCauley (centre) with mattresses brought into the Household Waste Recycling Centre to be recycled.

Picture: Jeff Connell.