In a bid to cut costs, Somerset Council is closing or reducing services at recycling centres across the county. Cheddar Recycling Centre was one suggested for the chop.
The recycling centre in Cheddar may not be in the best location, but it's a crucial local facility for residents who otherwise will have to drive to Highbridge, adding to road miles, congestion and pollution.
Closing a recycling centre often creates bigger problems than it solves. For many residents, the site is the only practical way to dispose of bulky or specialist waste responsibly. Research shows that removing a recycling centre leads to an increase in fly-tipping, which is terrible for the environment and a great deal more expensive to clean up.
It also discourages recycling altogether: when facilities are harder to access, more waste ends up in general rubbish, increasing landfill use and carbon emissions.
There are also social impacts. Not everyone has the time, transport, or flexibility to travel further to the next closest (Highbridge), meaning closures disproportionately affect older residents and low-income households. What may appear to be a cost-saving measure would quickly turn into higher long-term costs through enforcement, clean-up, and lost environmental progress.
In practice, closing a recycling centre shifts the burden onto communities while undermining sustainability goals.
Update Dec 2025: Local campaigner Graham Godwin-Pearson went to Taunton and asked the question of the Executive Member for Transport and Waste on 3rd December 2025. He confirmed that there will be funding for the recycling centre for 2026-2027 at least.
