Bin collection disruption likely due to coronavirus
Councils are encouraging people who are self-isolating to change the way they dispose of personal waste.
Families across the UK could see disruption to their bin collections as the coronavirus pandemic continues to have an impact on everyday life.
Some councils have suspended waste collection services in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19.
On Thursday, Cambridge City Council announced it would suspend all garden waste collections from Monday until May 4.
The council said on its website: “The suspension of green bin collections will allow crews to concentrate on emptying blue and black bins during the coming weeks.
“It will also assist with any future staff sickness or self-isolation issues.”
Other councils are also following suit, including Cheshire West and Chester, and Derby City Council, the latter of which has also suspended bulky waste collections.
Derby City Council said it predicts the coronavirus pandemic will also affect recycling and general waste collections in the coming weeks.
A spokesman from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The Government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to support councils in their response to coronavirus, and we are working with them and the waste industry to ensure that waste collections are prioritised to protect the environment and human health.”
Local authorities are asking residents who are self-isolating to place personal waste – such as used tissues and cleaning materials – into a plastic bag before disposing of it into a second bin bag.
They are then encouraged to store it safely in their homes for 72 hours before placing it into a wheelie bin for collection.
Hackney Council said this measure aimed to “lower the risk of the virus being passed on”.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “As councils prioritise protecting the vulnerable, there will be inevitable disruption to other important services, such as bin collections and street cleaning.
“Some councils are having to change their waste and recycling services as coronavirus impacts on their collection staff.”
Residents are encouraged to visit their council website for ongoing updates on bin collections.
