Bin collection misery to last for weeks across Walsall after depot blaze
Bin collection chaos will continue for at least another month after a blaze at Walsall’s main waste depot.
Residents have had to put up with delayed weekly collections since the fire at the Fryers Road Household Waste Re-cycling Centre in Bloxwich.
Now Walsall Council bosses say households can expect another four weeks of disruption as repairs are done to the depot – which it was feared may have to be demolished.
Walsall Council Clean and green chief Councillor Christopher Jones said: “Councillor Jones added: “The fire really hasn’t helped and it has directly contributed to missed collections.
“Everything is centred around Fryers Road, it is the centre of the universe for our waste. It couldn’t have come at a worse time. I would just say to residents bear with us if your collection is missed. Don’t bring it in and we’ll collect it the next day.”
The cause of the fire on November 5 at the depot – where trucks and crews are based – has been confirmed as accidental.
Councillor Jones added: “We are hoping that within four weeks it could be up and running again. Our biggest fear was that the place had got to be knocked down due to the damage to the structure but I understand we can refurbish it, but it has to be refurbished up to modern standards.
“It was an accidental fire. All of the CCTV has been checked. The last operative locked up at 5.20pm and the fire started around 20 minutes later. It wasn’t arson.”
The public tip at the same site re-opened to the public on Saturday although it is now only available until 4pm every night as opposed to the previous time of 5pm. The time change is part of a wider plan to increase availability during the summer months.
The council is unable to use the site to deposit bin collections from around the borough. Instead household rubbish is having to be shuttled to Veolia’s site in Four Ashes while recyclables are being transported to Greenstar Environmental in Aldridge.
