Exeter's Waste Now Goes to Newton Abbot

Twenty truckloads of Exeter's rubbish are being hauled to Newton Abbot each day following the closure of the city's waste station.

The Marsh Barton site has now closed as construction begins on a new plant that will turn much of the city's rubbish into electricity. Currently around 20 truckloads a day are now having to make the journey along the A38 to the Heathfield site.

Mike Trim from Exeter City Council says they've no choice: "sometimes you have to take the pain short term to get the gain long term and obviously once we get the energy from waste plant in three years time it will be much more efficient as we'll be sending less waste to landfill"

He's told Heart the potential price of doing it this way is high: "if we had to use Heathfield for a full twelve months and we can't find a facility nearer Exeter the cost is likely to be in the region of £850,000 pounds per year."

It's hoped that a closer landfill site will be available at Woodbury Salterton. Devon County Council, which is responsible for waste disposal, is expected to put in a planning application shortly.