According to FCC, the move comes as it has also been offering additional support to councils neighbouring its existing operating areas.
Last month, Derby city council stopped the collection of garden and food waste as it looked to prioritise residual collections as staff were forced to self-isolate, and remaining staff had to adhere to social distancing regulations.
And, for two days this began to impact dry recycling collections too, before the council struck a deal with FCC Environment.
According to FCC, it has provided Derby with nine additional vehicles to support the city’s waste collection services, with four being used to collect the blue dry recycling bins.
Councillor Jonathan Smale, cabinet member for public protection and streetpride at Derby city council, said: “We’re pleased to have secured support for our staff during the coronavirus crisis.
“The main problem for us has been the government’s guidance on social distancing which means a limit to the number of people we can have in a cab.
“I’m extremely grateful to our Derby city council refuse collectors, and volunteers who have all been working unbelievably hard over the past few weeks. Now having the support from FCC staff means we can continue our priority collections.”
Private sector
“FCC Environment has been proactively offering additional support to councils neighbouring our existing operating areas”
Councils have seen disruption to collection services in recent weeks, but there are signs this is beginning to ease, according to a survey conducted by ADEPT – the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (see letsrecycle.com story).
Peter Cundall, head of commercial operations at FCC Environment said: “We are delighted to be working with Derby city council to provide the residents of Derby with this essential service during this extremely challenging time. FCC Environment has been proactively offering additional support to councils neighbouring our existing operating areas to ensure all members of the public across the nation have their waste collected.”
The council told residents that the situation is changing on a daily basis, and it will continue to be reviewed.
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