Two multi-million recycling centres to open but restrictions apply

TWO multi-million euro recycling centres will open in North Cork next month, although one will not be permitted to receive household waste because of a Bord Pleanála directive.

Council officials have announced that they intend to open the civic amenity sites in Kanturk on Tuesday, October 12 and the Mallow one on Tuesday, October 26.

The centres will open all day – including lunchtime – from Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings.

Cllr Noel O’Connor (FG) said he was disappointed that Bord Pleanála had ruled that the Mallow site wouldn’t be allowed to accept household refuse.

Acting assistant county manager Tom Stritch said businesses adjoining the Mallow site had objected to Bord Pleanála about it handling household waste or bulky items and the planning appeals board had upheld the objections.

Mr O’Connor wanted the council to reapply for planning permission to enable them process household waste, but Mr Stritch said it might be prudent to wait and see the reaction of adjoining businesses after the centre opens.

The council is to staff the sites with employees who are being redeployed from its refuse collection service.

It is using some of the €6.1 million it acquired from the sale of the refuse service to private contractor County Clean to fund day-to-day running of the centres.

A decision on whether civic amenity sites will be opened in the Fermoy/Mitchelstown area has been put on hold pending a review of funding available.

The council is entering into negotiations with Country Clean to get it to collect municipal waste from litter bins in the county’s nine town council areas.

Meanwhile, a number of councillors, including Dan Joe Fitzgerald (FF) and Gerard Murphy (FF) said extra resources should be put into tackling illegal dumping, by deploying a rapid response unit of council workers.