CONCERNED residents fed up with noise they claim is generated from a bottle bank close to their homes are calling for the recycling facility to be moved.

Debbie Pegg, of Mayhew Road in Rendlesham, near Woodbridge, said she and her neighbours had finally lost patience.

The recycling bins were moved to the new location off Sycamore Drive earlier this year. The decision was made by Suffolk Coastal District Council following a recommendation by Rendlesham Parish Council.

Mrs Pegg claims the noise when people dispose of their glass is having a detrimental impact on their quality of life. She said more than 50 people had now signed a petition demanding the bins be moved away from homes.

“It’s terrible,” she said. “You sit at home in the evening and you can hear the din above the TV set. In the summer its was hard to sit outside and relax because all you could hear was the bottles. “They’ve changed the bins from metal to plastic ones but it’s no use. It’s such a racket. They’ve also tried putting up signs asking people not to use the bins between certain times but that just gets ignored.

“They need to find another area, away from people’s homes. What we can’t understand is why there is now law stipulating how far away these areas should be from domestic properties.”

Andrew Nunn, Suffolk Coastal District Council’s cabinet member for the green environment, said they had received complaints and an officer had visited the site.

As a result they had put up signs asking residents not to use the bins between 8pm and 8am and the metal bins had be changed to plastic ones in a bid to reduce noise.

“The site will continue to be monitored, but it is inevitable that there will still be some noise,” he said. “The council believes that is far outweighed by the usefulness of this popular recycling facility.”

Heather Heelis, clerk to Rendlesham Parish Council, said they were aware of people’s concerns but were satisfied - following the investigation by environmental health - that the current location was the most appropriate.

She said they sympathised and would continue to monitor the situation but the site was much better than the previous one, which had sparked safety concerns.