North Tyneside Council has temporarily suspended the disposal of fridges and freezers at its Household Waste Recycling Centre in North Shields due to national capacity issues with legally processing them. The suspension has raised concerns about a potential increase in fly-tipping.
National backlog affects local authorities
The council is among several local authorities, including Bradford, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire, that have halted collections while a backlog in processing is addressed. The centre can no longer accept any more fridges or freezers until the existing stock is moved on for treatment.
Councillor raises concerns
Opposition Tory councillor Liam Bones has written to the council's elected Mayor, expressing concerns about the practical consequences for residents. He said: “I appreciate that the shortage of specific processing capacity is a national issue and that the council cannot control disruption elsewhere in the waste treatment network. However, I am concerned about the practical consequences for North Tyneside residents and what contingency arrangements were in place to deal with a disruption of this nature.”
Coun Bones added: “There is also no indication of how long the suspension is expected to last. I am concerned that leaving residues without an accessible disposal route inevitably increases the risk of fridges and freezers being left beside communal bins, dumped in back lanes or otherwise fly-tipped.”
Other councils' responses
South Tyneside Council has confirmed that its residents can take fridges and freezers to its recycling village or arrange a bulky waste collection. Durham County Council’s head of environment, James Gilchrist, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the local authority is “aware of the national issue” and is working to ensure its residents can continue to dispose of freezers at its sites.
Samantha Dand, director of environment at North Tyneside Council, said: “Due to a national issue affecting the disposal of fridge freezers, we have temporarily suspended the acceptance of fridges and freezers at the Household Waste Recycling Centre. We recognise that this temporary measure will be frustrating for residents and apologise for the inconvenience.”
Dand explained that the permits and licences under which the centre operates place strict limits on the tonnage of fridges and freezers that can be stored on site, and that processing capacity is constrained nationally. She added: “Residents are asked not to bring fridges or freezers to our recycling centres during this period. Where possible, we would ask that unwanted appliances be stored safely at home until normal service resumes. Residents purchasing new or replacement appliances may wish to consider retailer take-back schemes.”
The council is working with waste management partners to monitor the situation and restore normal disposal arrangements as soon as possible, with further updates to be provided.
