How YOU can support refuse collectors during coronavirus crisis

Crews are performing well despite the coronavirus issue and collections reliability is stable despite some staff self-isolating as a result of COVID-19.

But with the virus peak still estimated as being a few weeks away, staff resource could be strained further – with excess waste compromising the ability of crews to complete their rounds as they lose time having to handle the increase accumulations and by having to take their full wagons back to the depot more frequently.

Cllr John O’Shea, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Parks, said: “Our crews are doing a fantastic job out on the frontline during this emergency.

“But it is becoming increasingly apparent that in recent weeks some people are not following the policies we have in place for our wheelie bin service. Waste should be placed inside bins and the lid should be shut – please don’t leave extra bags or other waste beside the bin.

“The key thing is that we are still offering a weekly rubbish collection, a fortnightly recycling collection and a fortnightly garden waste collection for subscribers to that service. If you do not subscribe to our garden waste service, please do not put green waste into your other bins and consider composting it at home.

“We’d ask people to be responsible, to be even more focussed on separating waste that can be recycled and not present excess waste that could be kept back for when our Household Recycling Centres are open again.

“There is a lot of support out there for our hard-working bin crews and one of the best ways you could help them keep doing their job is to put your waste out for collection in the right way.”