Commercial Waste Management Thirsk

Thirsk is a traditional Yorkshire market town which was home to the renowned vet, James Herriot, hence it is known as Herriot Country. Boasting the spectacular backdrops of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, it’s a popular visitor and tourist destination. It is home to just under 5,000 people and has a charm of its own, essentially unchanged and uninfluenced by the world. It centres around a bustling cobbled market square, dominated by the town clock, with its Monday and Saturday markets and independent shopping.

Thirsk has a thriving racecourse which plays host to some of the best flat racing in the UK and attracts people from across Yorkshire and further afield, especially during big weekend meetings. After a successful day at the races, Thirsk’s lovely pubs, bars and restaurants are always a welcome sight. Due to its history, coaching inns are in abundance, The Golden Fleece is an excellent example of such an establishment and still sports its original Georgian coaching clock. Thirsk is also an excellent base for exploring the nearby North Yorkshire Moors, The White Horse of Kilburn, North York Moors National Park and the World of James Herriot.

East Thirsk Community Hall is at the centre of many of the town’s community groups and social events. Opened in 1994, the Hall is a charitable organisation that plays host to many different events throughout the year. Sports are also well supported in the area as well, with a bowling club, cricket club and football club all currently active.

Thirsk’s household waste is collected and managed by Hambleton District Council, which also oversees the waste collection for nearby Easingwold, Bedale and Stokesley. The entire district, including other small towns and villages, is home to a growing population of nearly 90,000 people. Hambleton District has repeatedly performed above national averages when it comes to the percentage of household waste that is being sent for reuse, as opposed to landfill or waste to energy. This performance hit an all-time high of 54.1% in 2015/16, and although numbers have dipped since then, they remain stable at around 48% (6% higher than the national average).

An online free-cycling program has seen nearly 4,000 people from in and around Thirsk sign up, sharing their unwanted items with those who might need them, to avoid further waste. In the 12 months between April 2019 and April 2020, an estimated 1.7 tonnes of waste was saved from disposal, reducing CO2 emissions by 0.9 tonnes.

A number of Thirsk-based organisation are dedicated to protecting the natural habitat surrounding the town, in addition to addressing the wider environmental issues that are affecting the planet. Thirsk Community Woodlands Group is comprised of volunteers who donate their time to preserve and develop the local woodlands: their current mission is to develop a new woodland reserve for Thirsk.

Meanwhile, Thirsk Friends of the Earth are attempting to enact environmental change on a wider scale. Taking influence from David Attenborough, the volunteers organise litter picks, patrol the river for pollution and campaign to raise awareness for the current climate emergency. Finally, Thirsk-based environmental consultants MAB Environment & Ecology Ltd specialise in the protection of a number of indigenous species including bats, badgers and barn owls.