Council closes Portglenone skip site

Ballymena Council said the decision was taken as the result of a combination of a number of different factors including legal compliance, the requirement to maximise recycling and financial considerations.

The site is the only remaining rural skip facility in the borough and has been operational since the 1980s, originally designed for the public to deposit waste in skips for disposal to landfill.

However, the council says the site is no longer fit for purpose and does not demonstrate compliance with current waste management legislation or council’s recycling policies.

In order to ensure compliance with the latest licensing regulations, the activities at any recycling facility are required to change from that of a simple waste disposal operation to one that actively recycles and recovers waste.

The Portglenone facility does not and will not meet these requirements, a statement from the council said.

It was added that this is confirmed by virtue of an economic appraisal carried out on behalf of the council which has shown that continued operation of the site is neither economically or environmentally feasible.

Anne Donaghy, Ballymena Borough Council Chief Executive, said: “The council recognises that the requirement to comply with the legislation and the decision to close the site will result in a change to waste disposal service provision for residents of Porglenone and the surrounding area.

“However, this is not a reduction in waste collection and recycling arrangements.

“This change is made in tandem with an increase in other recycling arrangements such as the introduction of brown bins for collection of garden and household food waste.”

The current central recycling amenity facility at Waveney Road in the centre of Ballymena town caters for all other villages and population centres in the borough.

Mrs Donaghy addedL “While the primary reasons for closing the Portglenone site are based on the need to comply with existing legal requirements for the management of waste, significant financial savings will result for council and ratepayers. It is intended that these savings will be used in a positive and productive way in order to further develop and improve recycling.

“It is anticipated that these improvements will increase the recycling rate, assist meeting recycling targets and decrease waste going to landfill.

“The council still continues to provide a bulky waste collection service for items such as fridges, sofas etc. as we do across the entire Ballymena Borough.”