A second recycling centre is coming to Blaenau Gwent following £2.8 million funding from the Welsh Government.

The new household waste recycling centre (HWRC) will be at Roseheyworth Business Park in Abertillery and will support the existing centre at Waun-y-Pound Industrial Estate in Ebbw Vale.

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The new HWRC will benefit from a furniture re-use facility where residents can donate items that are in a good condition and free from defect.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Garth Collier, said: “We are delighted to be opening another household waste recycling centre which gives our residents another way to increase their recycling and cut down on household waste.

“It gives residents across Blaenau Gwent more choice and easy access to first class recycling facilities.

“The cost to the Council of not recycling is significant and completely avoidable helping us reduce unnecessary disposal costs.

“When people don’t recycle, we have to pay more than we need to get rid of the rubbish placed in black bins.

“Money which could have been spent delivering or improving services for the community, such as schools and social services.”

The investment is part of the council’s waste strategy that goes towards meeting the Welsh Government’s recycling targets.

Earlier this month a bid to ensure Blaenau Gwent council does not split the opening times of its existing recycling centre with the new facility was defeated.

The council plans to open one site three days a week and the other for four days, with existing staff working across both facilities.

Currently the New Vale site opens seven days a week.

Blaenau Gwent Council also introduced a new waste recycling policy and has seen a huge improvement in recycling figures. The local authority introduced a ‘no side waste’ policy in June 2018, and at the same time a black bag sorting system was introduced at its household waste recycling centre.

They say the changes they've made have led to a 1,938.90 tonne reduction in the amount of residual waste disposed at the recycling centre in the last year - an improvement of more than 63 per cent.

However, the changes have provoked a mixed reaction from residents who have complained about the size of the bins and the 'troliblocs' recycling system.