Mullingar - New recycling centre for...

[Chris P]

New recycling centre for Mullingar

Recycling in Westmeath has moved to a new level with the opening of a new specialist recycling centre.

A state-of-the-art recycling centre (Mullingar Civic Amenity Centre), will open to the public on Monday 15th January 2007 at Zone C, Clonmore Business Park, Mullingar, for household waste. Waste from commercial businesses will not be accepted at the centre. This will bring to two the number of modern recycling centres in County Westmeath.

The new site accepts an impressive menu of materials - Green, brown and clear glass, Newsprint/magazines, Cardboard and cardboard packaging, Mixed paper (junk-mail, envelopes, bills, etc) and phone books, Books, videos, tapes, CDs and records, Food cans (steel cans - e.g. beans, peas and dog food cans), Beverage cans (aluminium cans - e.g. soft drinks and beer cans), Plastic bottles and bags, Tetra-pak containers (e.g. milk cartons, juice cartons), Reusable clothing, Used household batteries, Lead acid car batteries, Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs, Waste oils (not cooking oil), White goods (e.g. fridges, washing machines, cookers, etc), Timber, Electronic goods (TVs, radios, vacuumed cleaners, toasters, etc), Green waste (garden waste), Scrap metal, Mobile phones, Waste tyres, Gas cylinders.

As new markets develop in the future, further materials will also be accepted. The purpose-built centre will make recycling more accessible and convenient for the residents of Mullingar and its surrounding environs. The centre will open Monday to Saturday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. There is a small charge of €2.00 per car and €5.00 per car with trailer to use the centre.

The facility cost was in the region of €1.3m to build and is well laid out and signposted. Capital funding of 75% of the total cost was contributed through central government (DOEHLG), with the remaining 25% provided by Westmeath County Council. The Environmental Protection Agency - through a cleaner greener production programme scheme (CGPP) - has also provided a grant of up to €30,000 for using recycled materials in the construction of the facility.

"The Recycling Centre was built with the environment in mind" - said PJ Carey, Senior Executive Engineer, Westmeath County Council." The following materials were used in its construction -

• Recycled crushed concrete
• Recycled asphalt planings
• Crumb rubber (from tyres)

A wind turbine and solar panel system were incorporated into the construction by way of renewable energy resources. The wind turbine will power the electrical sockets and lights in the administration building, whilst the solar panels will heat the water."

Midlands-based recycling firm, Advanced Environmental Solutions (AES) - who have wide experience and expertise in the recycling industry - will operate the site on behalf of the Council.

Noreen Gibney, Environmental Awareness Officer with Westmeath County Council commented - "The new site has been laid out in such a way as to make recycling a clean, enjoyable and convenient experience. The recycling centre seems to be the place to be seen these days and is now becoming more of a social occasion than a weekly chore."

The recycling centre at Marlinstown Landfill will close on January 13th and the Clonmore Recycling Centre opens on Monday 15th.

Source: http://www.enviro-solutions.com/news-recycling.htm