Woolston tip to re-open after three-month improvement scheme

WARRINGTON’S Woolston Community Recycling Centre is set to re-open to the public after being closed for three months while major improvements were carried out.
The tip will re-open on Wednesday, following completion of the work – part of a £1.8 million investment in community recycling services.
According to the borough council, the refurbishment will provide  higher quality recycling services for local people, as well as enabling Warrington to meet current environmental standards.
The investment has seen the site  extended to provide greater capacity for receiving waste and to create a better flow of traffic. Other improvements include resurfacing, renewed perimeter fencing, and upgraded lighting and security systems.
The refurbished recycling centre will operate under normal working hours of 10am to 4pm.
Gatewarth Community Recycling Centre is also to see major improvements to bring it up to required standards and the work is due for completion in March next year.
The investment in Woolston and Gatewarth community recycling centres aims to help Warrington meet Environment Agency standards, with the council needing to make significant improvements to its community recycling centres to comply with current permit requirements.
Currently, Warrington’s recycling centres are not able or permitted to accept any commercial or industrial waste. The changes to Gatewarth will enable it to receive small amounts of commercial waste. This, in turn, could bring in additional income for the council.
But a question mark still hangs over the Sandy Lane recycling centre at Stockton Heath which has already once been suggested for closure by the council.
Thousands of people have signed a petition urging the council to keep the Sandy Lane tip open and pointing out that if it is closed there will be no recycling facility in the south of the borough.
Warrington’s Community Recycling Centres are supported by the council’s household waste service, which collects waste at the kerbside via three waste streams – non-recyclable, co-mingled recyclates and green waste.