THE old saying 'Where there's muck there's brass' is being put to bed across Somerset next month.

The county's 16 recycling sites will switch to operate cash-free and cheque-free from Friday, September 1, with almost all payments taken only on credit, debit and charge cards.

The only exceptions will be the £2 cash entry fees for Crewkerne and Dulverton community recycling sites, and paying at the Reuse Shop at the Taunton (Priorswood) Recycling Centre.

The move to all payments on plastic was agreed by councillors from all six Somerset authorities following many months of successful trials at both Chard and Taunton recycling sites since 2016.

Enhancing efficiency, security and the safety of staff, payments will be accepted on Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards, Visa Electron and Diner’s Club, including contactless cards.

Among the plastic-only payments taken at all recycling sites will be for the charged-for materials brought in by residents but classified as non-household - gas bottles, soil, hardcore and tyres.

And 10 sites take paid-for residents’ vehicle parts for recycling or disposal, while in a separate scheme, 10 sites accept businesses’ paid-for commercial waste, from timber to fridges.

Plastic-only payments will also be taken for Revive soil conditioner composted from Somerset’s garden waste and sold by every recycling site at £4 for a bag and £10 for three bags.

Payments for domestic asbestos and plasterboard will continue to be made online in advance at the Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) website.

A SWP spokesman said: “Thanks to customers and staff, the Chard and Taunton recycling site trials have proved a great success, showing that it will work well throughout the network.

“If anyone thinks they may have a site payment problem, they should see staff before unloading.

“The switch from cash to cards does not involve any new charges or any changes in prices.”

Information on card payments can be found on flyers and signage at all recycling sites.