Somerset recycling centre to stay closed after fire

The recycling centre will be closed until further notice. Credit: Somerset County Gazette

A recycling site in Taunton will remain closed "until further notice" following a fire at a nearby material recovery facility.

Fire services were called to the site in Priorswood in the early hours of Tuesday 3 October.

Around 60 firefighters and seven appliances were involved in tackling the blaze. Nobody was injured.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have said the facility, where recycling is sorted before being sent out to be reprocessed, is structurally unsafe.

In a statement Somerset Council said: "Due to the facility’s proximity to the household recycling site, it is not currently safe to provide access to the public.

"Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service remain at the scene and it is likely that the fire will continue for the next couple of days.

"They advise residents in smoke affected areas to keep windows and doors closed."

The centre is closed until "further notice"

A spokesperson from Biffa said: "We would like to thank the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service who are currently on-site at our Taunton Recycling Centre attending to a fire. 

"A full investigation will commence into the cause of the fire and it would therefore not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

Cllr Dixie Darch, Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change said: “We send our thanks to the crews from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue who promptly responded to the situation.

“We continue to work with Biffa to ensure that we can provide a household waste recycling service, including additional opening days at nearby Recycling Sites.”

What can I do with my waste?

Somerset Council is asking people not to come to the site and to keep their recycling if they can. Alternatively, residents can put it through their kerbside collections, if it’s the right material, or try one of the other sites.

Wellington Recycling Site will be open for the rest of the week, as will Bridgwater, which usually closes on a Wednesday.

If the Taunton centre remains closed, the Wellington (Poole) site will open next Monday and Tuesday 9 and 10 October.

You can find your nearest centre online.