BRITAIN’S biggest private recycling and waste management companies – along with industry and government bodies – have jointly issued advice for the public on how to manage household rubbish during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement co-ordinated by the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and released on 25 March, industry and business reps urged members of the public to follow government guidelines on managing waste in self-isolation to protect workers and prevent the spread of infection.
The statement assures the public that while bins will still be collected during the crisis, some non-essential services may be affected in the coming weeks amid staff shortages. For the time being, however, many household recycling and waste collections are operating as normal.
“Following government advice, to protect workers and combat the spread of infection, anyone who feels ill at home (whether diagnosed with COVID-19 or not) should place all their waste in the general rubbish bin, and should double-bag it, making sure the bags are securely tied,” the statement reads.
“They should then wait at least 72 hours before placing it out for collection. For now, this material should not be put in your recycling.”
Countersigned by the ESA, WRAP, LARAC, The Recycling Association, The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and other industry stakeholders, the statement goes on to state that general rubbish collections will be prioritised for hygiene reasons.
In some instances, non-essential collections of garden or bulky waste may change or be suspended altogether and some household waste recycling centres will be closed to the public temporarily.
“Any disruption to recycling services will be a last resort and, if this is unavoidable, we must not allow it to break our national recycling habit in the long term,” the statement continues.
The industry advises members of the public to follow the guidance of their local council to ensure that services can continue to operate efficiently.
To view the statement in full, CLICK HERE.