By Bruce Sinclair,Local Democracy Reporter,Robert Harries

Copyright walesonline

A household waste facility faces potential closure, leaving local residents without the service, under new proposals the council has launched in a consultation ending in just over a fortnight. Ceredigion Council has already restricted black bag collections to just three per household every three weeks – a change that came into force at the end of last month. The authority stated these modifications aim to push residents towards making “full and proper use” of its recycling services. The county recently launched a public consultation after last year’s decision to shut one of its four household waste sites and examine opening times at remaining locations. Ceredigion operates four waste facilities: Kilmaenllwyd near Cardigan, Glanyrafon Industrial Estate near Aberystwyth , Lampeter, and Rhydeinon near Llanarth. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter . Based on last year’s tonnage figures the four locations processed 1,459.09, 4,098.5, 2,028.18, and 1,107.96 tons respectively. The consultation document reveals Glanyrafon stands as the sole northern facility, with officials preferring to maintain its operation alongside Kilmaenllwyd serving the south, while Rhydeinon and Lampeter show the most significant geographical overlap. The document explained: “The closure of one of the two sites in the middle of the county would be in line with our Corporate Strategy 2017–2022, which states: ‘The council’s intention is to align service provision in the future with three geographical areas’.” Officials say the authority “has had to make difficult decisions to manage its available budget and avoid higher council tax increases”. Council papers state temporarily closing the Rhydeinon facility while keeping other locations operational “would have the least impact on residents”. “The Rhydeinon Household Waste Site moth is proposed, until the review of the council’s waste services is completed, and the development of a long-term strategy for the council’s household waste sites. “We believe that this will have the least impact on the residents of Ceredigion. “We expect this to increase the volume of traffic around the sites in Kilmaenllwyd and Lampeter. “For this reason it does not intend to reduce the hours on the other sites at this time. “Use of the site will continue to be monitored and a reduction in opening hours at the remaining sites may be considered again in the future.” The public consultation runs to October 4. Councillor Shelley Childs, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “With four sites currently provided in the county Ceredigion has one of the highest ratios of household waste sites per person in Wales and the ongoing pressure on council budgets means that it is no longer possible to keep all four household waste sites open. “Most of the materials accepted at the household waste sites can be disposed of legally and safely in other ways. “The council believes suspending the use of one site would have the least overall impact on Ceredigion residents. However, we welcome people’s views on this.” Hard copies can also be picked up from local libraries or leisure centres or you can request one by ringing 01545 570881 or sending an email to clic@ceredigion. gov.uk.