The councils, which collect waste from the worst hit areas in the UK, said they would be using contingency measures, similar to double collections which take place after Bank Holidays, to catch up on missed rounds when the floods subsided.
Allerdale, which has been focal point of mainstream media coverage, today (November 20) issued a statement explaining that it was waiting for the water levels to drop before it could start collecting material and well as cleaning up streets.
The council said: “Allerdale borough council is warning residents of disruptions to refuse collections due to problems caused by flooding across the borough.”
The council said it was making every effort to empty any bins that may have been missed by early next week, weather permitting. And it said its waste contractor Focsa would be preparing a “clean-up” effort once water levels had subsided.
In the longer term, it said people affected by the floods would be able to contact Allerdale borough council to arrange for the collection of flood-damaged bulky items, such as furniture and white goods, free of charge.
Cumbria
Elsewhere in Cumbria, a spokeswoman for South Lakeland district council said that collections had taken place yesterday (November 19) and crews had managed to get out this morning but explained there would be “areas which have difficulty” and would be holding meetings today to discuss the situation.
“We are going to have more meetings later in the day,” she said. “But as far as they can they are trying to continue on with normal service but there might be a bit of disruption.”
Cumbria county council said it was only responding to immediate enquiries to the “serious nature of the flooding” and was in the midst of coordinating a multi-agency response to the flooding.
The council said it was unable to comment on how the flooding had affected provisions such as household waste and recycling centres.
Scotland
The flood has not just centered on Cumbria, with problems being reported north of the border as well.
In Dumfries & Galloway a spokeswoman said that “a small percentage” of collections in the Nithsdale area of the unitary authority were disrupted and “every effort” was being made to ensure collections were made in affected areas at the start of next week.
She added: “[Other] areas giving us concern at the moment are some parts of Lochmaben. However, the refuse isn't usually collected there until the afternoon so we are hoping that problems may have eased by then.”
Other councils in the Cumbria area, such as Barrow, Carlisle and Eden district councils and Scottish Borders council, said that they were as set yet unaffected but would be monitoring the situation given adverse weather predictions for the weekend.
Flood
Given the severe nature of the flooding, environment secretary Hilary Benn has travelled to Allerdale yesterday. His coincided with the Environment Agency gauging station at Seawaite Farm recording a 314.4mm over 24 hours until 00.45 this morning, which it claims is a record for England.
Environment Agency chairman Lord Chris Smith, who joined Mr Benn in Allerdale this morning, said: “We have seen unprecedented rainfall, with what we believe is a record amount for a 24 hour period in England. Towns and villages across Cumbria have been evacuated with floodwater driven by heavy rainfall, saturated ground and swollen rivers.”
The Environment Agency Floodline service has received more than 12,000 calls from members of the public over the last 48 hours and issued over 43, 000 flood alerts via phone, text, email and fax.
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