Donations stations open at Carmarthenshire recycling centres

The first phase of a new recycling project to help save usable items from being thrown away at Carmarthenshire Council’s recycling centres is being launched.

The council say ‘Eto’ will help close the loop on waste by helping people reuse, repurpose and refurbish items that were destined for the tip.

Residents can now donate items of a reasonable quality that they no longer want at recently installed donation stations across all of Carmarthenshire’s household waste recycling centres (HRWCs).

Items can include paint, wood and wooden items, garden equipment, bikes, electricals, furniture, household items, sports equipment and children’s toys.

These will be collected and refurbished or repaired as necessary then sold at a new Eto shop in Llanelli’s Stepney Street, which is due to open this month.

The project is part of a wider joint initiative between Carmarthenshire County Council and CWM Environmental Ltd – Canolfan Eto.

Phase two, due to launch later this year, is the development of a re-use village in Nantycaws, Carmarthen, which will provide a unique sustainable shopping experience bringing life to a range of used items including furniture, bicycles, large white goods, small electricals, paint and much more.

An education centre, café and toilets are also planned for the site.

Carmarthenshire County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Hazel Evans, says that Eto – which means ‘again’ in English – will symbolise one of the council’s main ambitions of delivering a circular economy, as well as supporting Carmarthenshire to become a leader of recycling and re-use within Wales.

She said: “This exciting new project will encourage visitors to donate previously used items that aren’t quite ready to be thrown away. This could be anything from an outgrown bike, a chest of drawers in need of upcycling or a games console that is no longer used. They will be cleaned up and repaired and then sold on at our new re-use shop in Llanelli. Recycling saves money, prevents pollution, creates jobs and best of all, it’s easy.”

Plans for future circular economy projects will include more re-use shops in other locations throughout the county.

Lead image: Cllr Hazel Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council Cabinet Member for Environment (Image: Carmarthenshire Council)