OXFORDSHIRE’S recycling rates could improve with a new processing plant in a landfill site at Ewelme, near Wallingford.

Grundon Waste Management Ltd has submitted a planning application for a road sweepings recycling plant to help the county recycle more materials – like fallen leaves – instead of shipping them elsewhere.

Until 2013, Oxfordshire road sweepings were composted and used on farmland. However, in May last year new regulations were brought in because using the material on farmland increased the risk of toxicity.

Since then, the county’s road sweepings have been taken to a recycling plant in Warwickshire at a cost of more than £100,000 per year.

In its planning application, Grundon said: “Some road sweepings generated in the south Oxfordshire area are already brought to the site, but then have to be taken to a processing facility in Rugby. Installation of the proposed plant will enable these road sweepings to be processed on site.”

The temporary plant would be next to existing ones at the Ewelme centre, which was historically used for sand and gravel processing.

Consultation on the planning application is now open, and people can comment at southoxon.gov.uk until September 1.

One of the exisiting waste sorting buildings at the Goulds Grove site caught fire in June, caused by hot weather igniting oily rags.

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