POWYS Council says it is "catching up with collections" after complaints about mountains of cardboard beside a local recycling bank.

Machynlleth has seen rubbish piled high beside overflowing recycling banks as a result of collection issues.

As cardboard recycling banks overflow, people have been leaving rubbish on the ground next to the container, which Powys Council says still constitutes fly tipping.

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “The vehicle that empties the cardboard recycling banks across Powys has been having some mechanical issues.

"Due to its specialist nature, it is very difficult to hire in a replacement. We do try to keep the area clear with alternative vehicles and are now catching up with collections as quickly as we can.

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“We always appreciate it when people wish to recycle their waste. However, if the cardboard recycling banks are full then please take it home rather than leave it on the ground. You can also use one of the five Household Waste Recycling Centres or the kerbside collection.

“Leaving it on the ground is totally inappropriate and is illegal as it is fly-tipping. Not only does it create an eye-sore, but the dumped cardboard also often gets blown around in the wind and is difficult to recycle once it gets wet.”

Councillors Elwyn Vaughn and Michael Williams have raised the issue with Powys County Council and received assurances that the collection vehicle will be repaired, but with no definitive date on when it will be back in operation.

Cllr Williams added: “The cardboard pile has been there for almost a fortnight now.

"I have been told by the council that the lorry responsible for collecting the rubbish has broken down, and while I have been told it should be back on the road soon I have not been given an exact time of when that will be.

“I have had plenty of residents point the problem out to me, many are understandably annoyed that the rubbish is still there weeks after being dumped.

“I think the issue highlights the problem of having such limited resources for these facilities in Powys, with just one collection lorry expected to cover such a wide area and seemingly no alternative option for when something goes wrong.”