A SURVEY has been conducted at the Palmwoods Community Recycling Centre in an effort to ensure that it is located to best serve its users and to resolve continuing problems with its abuse.

Maroochy Shire Council commissioned the survey which was carried out on Thursday, June 26 and Saturday, June 28 by Queensland University of Technology student Brady McPherson, who is completing his final year of a degree in environmental health.

Cr Geoff Littler said that depending on the outcome of the survey, the recycling centre could be relocated to an area where it would be more convenient to its users.

He said there was little doubt that the Recycling Centre was an ongoing problem in the town and he was looking at options.

The centre was established to provide a bottle, tin and paper recycling facility for people who were not in areas serviced by wheelie bins and collection trucks.

It has since become the centre of ongoing controversy with some people continuing to abuse the centre by dumping all forms of rubbish and not placing recyclables in appropriate bins.

Its location at the entrance to the railway station and within view of the town has not helped the situation.

Mr McPherson said many of the people interviewed had commented that they appreciated having the centre in Palmwoods, but also noted that it had been abused by some people.

"I think people like to be able to come and use the facility, but from what I've seen, it has been abused," Mr McPherson said. "A lot of people have told me that they think the place has become an eyesore."

He said he would be analysing the results of his survey in the coming weeks, and reporting back to council with the findings.

The survey assessed whether people were using the Recycling Centre purely to recycle, or to dump other waste products and also noted the volume of waste or recyclables being dumped and the home address of users to determine demographics.

Two industrial-style skip bins have now been placed at the recycling centre.

"Some people were using the centre as a rubbish dump, so they've got these big bins here now to try and cope with the extra waste," Mr McPherson said. "There is still a lot of excess waste lying around, and someone has even stolen part of the fence."

The placement of the skip bins has been rejected by the Palmwoods Progress Association which considers the move will only compound problems at the recycling centre and confirm it as a dump.

"All these years we have been concentrating on education and trying to get people use it responsibly and now we virtually have an admission that it is a dump," President Ron Corelli said.

"Placement of these skip bins is virtually saying to people 'it's a dump now' and will only encourage more people to leave rubbish at the site."

Mr Corelli said Queensland Rail had already expressed some concern over the tip being located at the entrance to the station and would not accept it becoming a dump.

The PPA will urge Maroochy Shire Council to consider removing the industrial bins, claiming that if the council doesn't move them - or the centre - Queensland Rail will force the issue.