The authority wants to close three sites and open new facilities, but locals say this could be to the detriment of wildlife.
Milton Keynes City Council has unveiled plans to begin operating recycling centres at Wolverton and Snelshall. As a result, processing plants at Newport Pagnell, New Bradwell and Bleak Hall will close.
The Wolverton location will be close to an existing waste recovery facility, while the Snelshall site will be purpose built.
However, residents argue the proposal poses a threat to local wildlife, with the chosen areas offering rich habitat for a number of species. Fears of a rise in traffic and potential water pollution incidents have also been raised.
More than 1,000 signatures have now appeared on petition to the Labour-led authority, with Conservative members calling the decision to move forward with the plan, which will now be discussed during a meeting scheduled for 5th March. Council leader Pete Marland has accused the opposition of spreading false information about the locations.
‘The new centres provide better facilities, in better locations with improved access and fewer traffic issues than current sites, while increasing the level of recycling and reducing the number of good items in perfect working order being sent for scrap,’ he told BBC news.
Last week, new research was published which backed up earlier claims that lead poisoning could have caused IQ levels to fall across the Roman Empire and possibly contributed to the collapse of the entire imperial system. The heavy metal is one of the most recycled in the world.
Image: Nick Fewings
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