Far from a dump! Newtown Road Household Waste Recycling Centre in Newbury named best in country by the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
Newbury’s rubbish tip has been named the best in the country.
The Newtown Road Household Waste Recycling Centre scooped the HWRC of the year award from the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), beating competing shortlisters Harrow and Hertfordshire councils to the prestigious title.
The award recognises local authority-operated waste facilities that demonstrate “high rates of waste diversion and recycling, excel in promoting sustainability, safety, and community involvement in waste management and recycling efforts”.
The LARAC awards team said: “West Berkshire Council stood out as the winner of the HWRC award for their forward-thinking approach to recycling and reuse.
“Their introduction of a community repaint area, coffee pod and vape recycling initiatives showcase their innovative efforts to offer more recycling options.
“Despite seeing fewer visitors, the council successfully managed an increase in materials brought to the site, reflecting their commitment to improving recycling and efficiency.
“Their focus on creating more opportunities for recycling and reuse has made a significant impact, making them a well-deserved winner this year. Congratulations.”
West Berkshire Council’s executive memember for the environment and highways, Stuart Gourley (Lib Dem, Newbury Clay Hill), said: “This is an impressive accolade and very well deserved.
“We’re achieving great results at Newtown Road and the key to that success is the strong partnership between us and Veolia, along with the dedication of our staff who provide excellent customer service.”
In 2023/24, the award-winning recycling centre achieved a recycling rate of 62.7 per cent and received 112,809 visits.
During that time, the site diverted 13.5 tonnes of bicycles and 11.3 tonnes of furniture and bric-a-brac to the Community Furniture Project.
As part of the site’s community repaint project, 2,596 litres of paint were reused, benefiting 270 residents and contributing to projects such as the refurbishment of a disused community centre.
Since February 2024, 12 tonnes of non-ferrous metals have been sorted at Newtown Road and 220kg of vapes have been collected.
The centre has also recently launched an initiative to recycle mattresses which diverted 10 tonnes from landfill within the first month, with an estimated upcoming annual diversion of 120 tonnes.
Last April, the site’s operating hours were reduced by two hours daily to improve its efficiency as many appointment slots weren’t being filled, allowing centre staff more time to separate waste materials.
Ever since the recycling centre introduced its online booking system, visits to the site have almost halved because site users are bringing more with them on each visit.
In 2019, the average visit saw 45.6kg of waste per visit. In 2023, this had risen to 57.2kg.
