PROTESTORS marched to the fields on the edge of the village where Powys County Council (PCC) has permission to build a recycling facility.

The march is the latest part of Abermule Communities Together’s (ACT) campaign to try stop the facility being built there.

In recent weeks talks have taken place between pressure group Abermule Communities Together (ACT) and PCC.

ACT have come up with alternative sites for the facility and hope the council take their proposals seriously.

The march came due to new concerns that the Bulking Facility could become also deal with residual waste.

ACT vice chairman, Steve Meadowcroft, said: “Once they have a foothold on the site they will do exactly what they want and grant themselves permission to do it.”

“I’ve been to the site at Brecon and this (residual waste processing) is the stuff that really stinks.”

ACT chairman Jeff Matthews added “We’ve been asking for months why the proposed building going to be so large and all we are told is its “Future Proofing.”

Mr Mathews believes that eventually the site would be used for the “horrible stuff”.

“It will be stored on the outskirts of our village until it can be moved on in bulk,” said Mr Mathews

At a public meeting in Abermule last December, villagers were told by council offices that residents in Rhayader had no issues and were “happy” with the recycling facility there.

ACT have been to find out what Rhayader people really think of their waste facility.

Mr Mathews, continued: “We found a very different picture.

“We heard complaints about drains leading from the site being regularly blocked and backing up affecting residents and even rats being attracted to the site from the nearby river!

“We have absolutely no confidence in Powys’s plans which will ruin our village and our quality of life”.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Recycling and Waste, said: “We have no plans to use Abermule for residual waste and have a contract in place until 2026 to manage this material elsewhere.

“While we are surprised to learn of local residents’ concerns about our Rhayader site, we take any concerns seriously.

“However, we are not aware of any complaints and have held open meetings with residents where we have discussed any concerns they may have.

“To be clear, issues relating to the drains are a matter for Welsh Water and are unrelated to the operations of the site.

“We monitor pest activity and are confident that there are no particular pest issues at this or any other site across the county.”

Cllr Davies added: “With the increase in recycling as required by the Welsh Government, the amount of residual waste continues to decrease.”

Cllr Davies said that if residents recycle effectively including food waste the residual waste is “relatively clean.”

In August 2018 planning committee approved the Bulking Waste Transfer Facility application by just one vote.

Council officers have stressed that the facility  would help the authority hit Welsh Government recycling targets of 70 per cent by 2024/25.