Falmouth Harbour, local businesses and Cornwall Council say they have acted to further improve the beautiful and historic space of Custom House Quay and surrounding water quality, by addressing waste facilities and capacity.

To keep waste from entering harbour waters and to ensure a pleasant visitor experience, Falmouth Harbour (FH) say they have moved the shared bin compound to a more discrete property it owns at Hull’s Lane – formerly used as a small staff car park.

The initiative was instigated as a considered response to Falmouth Harbour’s environmental concerns and with extensive feedback included from residents, visitors and businesses.

Head of Commercial Operations Holly Manvell said: "Our aim on visual and environmental grounds – working closely with all partners including Falmouth Town Team and Cornwall Council – is to tidy up and improve Falmouth’s unique waterside spaces and to help better protect our ocean environment.

"Extra black pedestrian bins have been provided by Cornwall Council to increase waste capacity for Custom House Quay users and visitors - and restaurant food waste facilities have moved offsite entirely to ensure a cleaner and safer pest-free environment."

The new bin compound at Hulls Lane has been created with full pest control and regular collections.

Falmouth Packet: The shared bins compound at its new locationThe shared bins compound at its new location

To further minimise the impact on surrounding properties, Falmouth Harbour and local businesses have consolidated service providers, with the area also fitted with night-lighting and gated access to further minimise the risk of spills and pests.

Falmouth Harbour’s Environment Manager, Vicki Spooner, said: "Waste management is a challenge, particularly with limited space available to us.

"The movement of the bins to a managed area away from the waterside helps all involved to ensure that waste is not escaping into the marine environment.

"This has also facilitated a move away from different waste contractors for each organisation storing waste on the quay to one - resulting in reduced number of bin lorries in the area and associated improvements to local air quality and lowered carbon emissions.

"Creating a more appropriate waste facility, away from the scenic and historic public space of Custom House Quay, sits within Falmouth Harbour’s extensive range of initiatives for enhancing and improving our precious environment.

"These include our Seabin project, our blackwater pumping facility and ongoing work to restore seagrass and other sensitive areas of seabed – all of which and more we have a passionate commitment to."