Bucks Household Recycling Centres continue to get top marks from residents

The survey is carried out twice a year to gauge opinions of regular users of the sites and to ensure the facilities continue to meet the requirements of local residents.

The results show that:

• 100% of those interviewed said they were satisfied overall with the HRCs (61% said they were very satisfied and 39% said they were satisfied)
• the layout of containers on site and the helpfulness of site staff also received 100% satisfaction ratings
• the area of least satisfaction was with road signs to the site which received a 97% satisfaction rating and traffic queues which received a 98% satisfaction rating
• satisfaction with the range of materials which can be recycled has increased from the last survey
• customers in Burnham gave the highest number of ‘very satisfied’ ratings of all the sites

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment said: “These results are a great indicator of the popularity of our household recycling centres. Our wish is to make it as easy as possible for people to be able to get rid of their household waste and recycling in a responsible and convenient way. It’s great to hear that the vast majority of our customers are pleased with how the centres are run and we will aim to continue this trend and listen to all the feedback to see if we can make further improvements.”

FCC Environment manages the ten HRCs across the county on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council.

FCC Environment’s HRC Contract Manager James Reseigh commented: “The recent survey results are fantastic and a true reflection of the continued hard work and dedication of the team members operating the sites. This comes hot on the heels of our High Wycombe site winning the Civic Amenity Site of the Year in the National Recycling Awards which was an amazing achievement. But it’s good to have it confirmed that our visitors feel that we deliver a great service. We are excited to continue to do so over the duration of the contract.”

The survey also asked site users about the reuse facilities at the HRC sites, gauging awareness of the reuse shops at Aston Clinton and High Wycombe HRCs and their knowledge of donating items for resale and reuse.

In 2022-2023, reuse tonnage was 941 tonnes in total, the equivalent weight to more than 78 double decker buses. Staff working at all HRCs also keep an eye out for items brought to the sites to see whether they can be resold and direct residents to the reuse area. Items are taken from all 10 sites and delivered to the two shops in Aston Clinton and High Wycombe. Top selling items include furniture, garden ornaments, crockery and sporting equipment – all of which can be donated directly to one of the reuse shops which are run by South Bucks Hospice.

In the survey, over two-thirds of respondents (70%) claimed to know that all HRC sites keep reusable items separate. These items are then sold in one of South Bucks Hospice's charity shops. Of those asked, 64% said they would donate if they knew what items could be donated.

The reuse shops are open for the same hours as the HRCs and are staffed by South Bucks Hospice staff. The reuse shop at High Wycombe now has its own car park and entrance which has increased footfall to the shop. More donations are always welcome.

Jackie Ward, CEO of South Bucks Hospice, said: “Reusing and recycling has always been popular with many people but with continued cost of living pressures, even more people are looking at ways to make their money go further and reuse shops like these can be great places to find a bargain. We are finding that many items are being snapped up almost as soon as they are donated so we are always keen for people to donate more. You can combine two trips in one, get rid of your waste and donate to charity at the same time.”

View a full list of household recycling centres in Buckinghamshire.