Somerset Council

Get a free behind-the-scenes tour of one of Somerset’s recycling facilities

An employee in orange hi-vis and blue hard hat stands on a balcony overlooking a container full of plastic collected for recycling.

Join SUEZ during the Heriatge Open Day weekends and learn about recycling in Somerset with an informative guided tour of either:

  • Taunton Material Recycling Facility on Saturday 12 September
  • Evercreech Material Recycling Facility on Saturday 19 September

These tours are an exclusive opportunity to safely see the facilities which are not usually open to the public.

Discover what happens to your recycling once the crews have collected it from your home in Somerset. Find out why we ask you to sort your recycling into different coloured containers and what happens to it next. See how your recycling is sorted and separated, ready to be sold on and recycled into new products.

The facilities were substantially upgraded in 2020 when the new service, Recycle More, was rolled out in the west of the county. With new technology, new trucks and a new service delivering more recycling, the facilities now process a combined 75,000 tonnes of recycling each year.

See how the collected recycling is sent to various areas to be sorted. Learn how materials mixed in your blue bag go through the sorting machine and emerge as separated aluminium cans, steel cans, and plastics. Get up close to the recycling collection lorries and explore the mobile plant vehicles used on site.

The tours will be hosted by SUEZ’s dedicated site operatives, who are the experts working on the frontline of Somerset’s recycling initiatives. They will take you through each process; showcasing important information and highlighting some of the dangers they face from misplaced hazardous materials such as batteries, gas canisters, and sharp objects.

The walk-and-talk format will be an excellent opportunity for you to ask questions as the tour progresses.

Tours will last an hour and run every hour, on the hour from 10am to 2pm.  There is no charge for the tours. Spaces are limited to 20 people per hour (no under 7s).

Booking is essential using one of the following links:

Heritage Open Day at Taunton Material Recycling Facility.

Heritage Open Day at Evercreech Material Recycling Facility.