Kerbside glass recycling collections will resume next week after being suspended under changes to help the city respond to the coronavirus outbreak.
We’ll begin collecting blue boxes for glass recycling from Tuesday, 28 April, returning to usual fortnightly collection schedules.
The service was stopped in March to help prioritise resources for other essential bin collections while enabling waste collection crews to observe social distancing guidelines.
Following the return of several team members from absence, as well as the bedding in of new collection arrangements, we will be able to reintroduce kerbside glass recycling collections.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’ve been working extremely hard to deliver essential services with as little disruption as possible during this challenging time, so I’m pleased that we’ll be able to reintroduce these collections after a short break.
“It’s with thanks to the hard work and dedication of crews that we can do this, as well as continuing normal collections for most bins, so I’d like to recognise their efforts over recent weeks. This contribution has been crucial to keeping the city moving and helping residents to adjust to this unprecedented situation.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “This is a particularly unsettling time and I’d like to thank residents for their patience during the changes we’ve had to make.
“It’s been heartening to see so many people looking out for one another and I hope they’ll be able to continue checking on neighbours and family and offering to put bins out for anyone who is unable or might be self-isolating.
“We’d also urge residents to only put out one box at a time, with boxes only filled to the top, and store any excess glass for their next collection, to help us protect the health of our crews by reducing the need to lift heavy boxes.”
In March the number of operatives in refuse lorry cabs was reduced in order to give crew members the space to stay two metres apart, meaning we needed increased resources to carry out the collection of kerbside and communal general waste, food recycling and dry mixed recycling.
While the glass recycling service will recommence on Tuesday, 28 April residents should check collection calendars for their next blue box collection date. We’re encouraging people to put out only one blue box and to store any excess glass for the next collection, as boxes may become too heavy to lift, posing a health risk to crews.
Garden waste collections and special uplifts are currently suspended while Household Waste and Recycling Centres remain closed though we’re working hard to reintroduce these services as soon as it is safe to do so.
Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is encouraged to follow the guidance on how to dispose of waste correctly to help protect the safety of bin collection crews.
Additional measures taken to safeguard waste and cleansing workers’ health have included the increased provision of hand sanitiser supplies, in addition to hot water handwashing points in a number of vehicles, the washing down of lorries at the end of shifts and efforts to encourage social distancing in depots.
Further information on changes to bin collections and other services can be found on the Council website.
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