FLY-tippers have forced council bosses to close down a recycling site.

Fears of contamination from dumped building waste, general refuse, furniture, children’s toys, mattresses and polystyrene will see the removal of the recycling banks at Valley Road, Cinderford, at the end of the month.

Despite signage at the site, reminding residents not to fly-tip, surveillance, and stickers on the banks instructing users on what materials can be recycled in each bank, some residents and businesses have continued to use the site as a tipping ground.

Councillor Chris McFarling, Cabinet Member for the Environment at the Forest of Dean District Council, said: ‘It is with regret that we have made the decision to remove the recycling banks at Valley Road at the end of the month. 

“Unfortunately, the regular misuse of the banks means that much of the recycling which residents have put in the banks correctly and in good faith, has ended up having to be emptied by the refuse crews.

“This defeats the purpose of what we are trying to achieve by providing these facilities, but has been a necessary consequence due to the level of contamination we are finding,” he added.

“The site at Valley Road is continually blighted by fly-tipping too, which is not only anti-social – causing an eyesore for those residents living near to the site – but potentially dangerous, harmful to the environment and expensive to clear, the cost of which is ultimately borne by the council tax payer.

“Our street warden team investigates all fly-tips found on council-managed land to try and establish who is responsible and, where evidence is found, take the appropriate enforcement action. 

“It is evident from what is being left, that members of the public are – in the main – having to drive to the site to dispose of these items, which could have easily be taken just a few miles further to the Household Recycling Centre and disposed of legally,” he added.

Following the council’s introduction of its weekly recycling service in 2016, all of the materials accepted at the Valley Road site can be recycled at the kerbside. 

Anyone needing recycling containers is urged to contact the Forest of Dean District Council on 01594 810000. 

Recycling and excess refuse can also be taken to the HRC at Broadwell, near Coleford. 

A full list of recycling banks can also be found on the district council’s website at www.fdean.gov.uk.

The council also offers a bulky waste collection service for residents who have larger items to dispose of, for a small charge (£15 for up to 3 items; £30 for four to six items). 

Alternatively, items such as white goods, furniture and electricals can be taken to the HRC and disposed of for free or, if deemed of good enough quality, offered to a local reuse project.

Residents that discover fly-tipped waste or witness fly-tipping are urged to contact the council, providing details of the exact fly-tipping location and any other relevant information, including the vehicle registration number and details of the amount of waste that has been dumped illegally.

Alternatively residents can contact the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

It is illegal for businesses or any trade to use the HRC or the Forest of Dean Council’s recycling banks.