This advice mirrors much of what was issued by Public Health England last week (see letsrecycle.com story), though Dorset has also issued specific guidance for those without wheelie bins.
The advice reads: “Personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags.
“These bags should be placed into a second bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste in the room in which you are self-isolating.
“Keep these bags aside for at least 72 hours before putting into your usual black wheelie bin.
“People without wheelie bins who use authorised blue bags for their rubbish should place personal waste in a securely tied disposable rubbish bag (like a black bin bag) before placing in your blue sack. This also applies to those who use gull-proof sacks.
“Recycling, glass, food and garden waste can be placed in your usual bins.”
Dorset council says the advice was relayed to around 37,000 subscribers via an e-newsletter.
Collections
Ordinarily, the residents served by Dorset council have a weekly food waste collection and fortnightly general waste, recycling and garden waste collections.
For general waste – in which people have been advised to place their potentially infectious waste – residents are served, depending on their circumstances, either by a 140-litre black wheelie bin or a bag and box system, whereby they are entitled to two authorised blue sacks per fortnight.
Collections are undertaken by Dorset Council Waste Services, formerly known as the Dorset Waste Partnership. With the six sovereign councils that made up the partnership ceasing to exist on 1 April 2019, waste became an executive function of Dorset council (see letsrecycle.com story).
It is estimated there are more than 376,000 people in the area represented by the council.
Crews
Last week, councillor Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, emphasised that the safety of collection crews was of paramount concern (see letsrecycle.com story).
“Protecting and supporting communities remains councils’ top priority”
He told letsrecycle.com: “Protecting and supporting communities, including our most vulnerable, remains councils’ top priority as the nation contains and delays coronavirus.
“Councils are aware that residents will have concerns for vulnerable family and friends if this virus spreads further.
“They have plans in place for every possible scenario, for example if large numbers of key workers are off sick at one time or schools are closed, or if extraordinary containment or delay measures are recommended by the government.”
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