
A FOUL SMELLING recycling centre that is close to housing and a health centre will be replaced as soon as an alternative site can be identified.
Some Lossiemouth residents have been complaining for two years at the “overwhelming’ odours coming from the Coulardbank Recycling Centre in the town.
The waste sorting facility is operated by Waste Watchers social enterprise scheme who had originally been based in Buckie’s March Lane. However, it was moved to Lossiemouth in March 2013 to better able it to cope with the expansion in Moray’s recycling collection service.
At the time of the move Buckie Councillor Gordon McDonald said that the move would produce new opportunities for staff but it would be “sadly missed” from the town, adding that they were a “very special group of people who have done an exceptionally good job”.
However, community councillors in Lossiemouth learned this week that a new and “more appropriate” site for the facility was being sought – although it may be some time before that is done. In the meantime, the local authority has assured worried residents that measures have been put in place to deal with local concerns.
One resident attended the community council meeting to express his concerns, saying unwashed waste being left out for prolonged periods made the odours from the site “unbearable at times – you can’t sit out in your own garden such is the foul smells coming from the site”.
Residents also complained of a large increase in the number of seagulls taking residence on the roof of the recycling centre with the resulting mess from droppings on the site and local properties adding to the problem.
Attending the community council meeting was Councillor John Cowe, who said that he was well aware of the issues and had been working with residents and council officials to find a solution.
Councillor Cowe reassured residents that the long term plan was to find a new and more suitable location for the facility.
Meanwhile a spokesman for Moray Council said that increased delivery and collections aimed at reducing the time waste was stored at the site was being implemented. There would also be more enclosed storage put in place to reduce odours and gull nests would be removed.