Aberdeen residents have raised traffic concerns around plans for a proposed new base for waste collection in the city.
Sita UK held a public exhibition yesterday after lodging a proposal of application notice for the Altens East recycling and waste management facility with Aberdeen City Council.
The site at the East Tullos Industrial Estate would act as a new depot for the local authority’s bin lorries and as a recycling centre and waste-to-fuel facility.
Bosses say it would divert 71,000 tonnes of Aberdeen waste from landfill and save the city £5million in landfill tax every year.
However, several residents of Cove and Torry expressed concerns about the impact in on nearby roads.
George Clark, of Cove, said: “Our biggest concern is where the heavy traffic is going to be routed.
“Sita assured us their drivers are going to come from their side rather than carrying straight on through the coast road to Cove.”
Another resident added: “What they’re planning to do is a good idea, you can’t carry on putting waste in the ground.
“The main problem is the knock-on effect on traffic. The coast road there is already heavily used by people from Cove, it is a rat run. Bin lorries won’t handle it.”
Sita UK’s operations manager in Aberdeen, Colin Forshaw, said the firm would take locals’ worries on board.
“We have to do a full traffic impact assessment that takes all traffic impact into account,” he said.
“One of the reasons we chose this place is access.”
Mr Forshaw said that the facility would “future-proof” the city’s waste collection services as the population expands.
“You have got 71,000 tonnes of waste going to landfill in Aberdeen. It’s not sustainable for a number of reasons,” he said.
“We have to make use of the materials, it is costing the council about £5milion a year in landfill tax and that’s going up.
“This facility is going to increase recycling and materials which can’t be recycled will be shredded and made into fuel.”
Willie Jaffrey, who came to view the plans, said: “I come from Rosemount so it’s easy to say it is a wonderful thing but I don’t stay here.
“At the end of the day we need it, we have to go with the times and if we don’t it is going to cost the taxpayer at the end of the day.”