A waste management firm has been forced to close one of its household waste recycling centres in North Yorkshire after a worker was assaulted.

Yorwaste, the firm responsible for managing the domestic and business waste in North Yorkshire and the City of York, says its Beckfield Lane household waste recycling centre in York will be closed indefinitely while it carries out an investigation into the incident.

Police are also probing the assault on the Yorwaste employee, which occurred on Sunday, March 10.

Up until last weekend, people were allowed to be on the site to dispose of their rubbish even whilst full skips were being emptied and the waste taken away to Yorwaste's landfill site at Harewood Whin.

But in the interests of health and safety, the company last week took the decision to close the site, which is normally open on Saturday and Sundays from 10am to 2pm, for a short period when the skips become full so they could be emptied safely.

This happened for the first time at the weekend and Yorwaste says it resulted in some members of the public becoming abusive and using threatening words and behaviour towards staff working at Beckfield Lane.

Tony Sharkey, Yorwaste's Waste Strategy and Contracts Manager, said: "Some people were not happy that they were not warned in advance about the temporary closure of the site.

"We took the decision in the interests of health and safety, not just for our staff, but for people who use the site.

"The site will be closed indefinitely while we carry out enquiries into what exactly happened, but we will not be going back to the situation we had before."

Yorwaste says people who normally take their waste to Beckfield Lane can use the household waste recycling centres at Foss Islands, York, and Towthorpe near Strensall.

Mr Sharkey added: "Unfortunately, actions taken by a minor number of site users will now inconvenience the majority of people who would normally use the site."

Paul Thackray, the council's head of client and city centre services, said, "City of York Council and Yorwaste Ltd are clearly deeply concerned that someone should be attacked whilst carrying out their duties. The safety of those operating the site as well as those using it has to be the main priority.

"Anyone seeking further information should ring the council's help line on 01904 636000. An announcement will be made as soon as possible with regard to the new opening arrangements."

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