An increasing number of councils across the UK have been forced to suspend or limit waste and recycling services in the wake of a further deluge of snow – which is now blanketing most of the country.
The sudden advent of snow and freezing at the end of November had seen local authorities, such as Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council, have to suspend or amend services in response to the onset of impassable conditions (see letsrecycle.com story).
Severe weather warnings have been issued to parts of the country including Yorkshire, the South West, North East England and West Midlands. Councils in these respective areas have reported disruption or full-scale suspension of waste and recycling services.
For example, Leeds city council, which is forecasted to receive further snow throughout the week, has had to suspend its garden waste services in order to allow refuse collectors to focus on residual waste and dry recycling collections.
In the South West, Cornwall council stated that some areas of the county would face delays or potentially missed collections due to the onset of adverse weather conditions, which is making remote areas inaccessible. However, all household waste and recycling centres are open.
The council said: “The situation is being continually reviewed and we are endeavouring to collect as much waste and recycling as possible. Where this cannot be done safely, collections will either be provided later today or tomorrow.”
Impact
Elsewhere, Bury council apologised to residents for the “unavoidable” delays or disruptions to its collection services. The Greater Manchester local authority has called on residents to continue to place waste out for collection on their regular day.
In North East Lincolnshire, the unitary authority has vowed to prioritise waste collections from Monday (December 6), in the wake of suspending green waste collections due to the snow.
A spokesman for the council said: “As from Monday December 6, domestic waste collections will take priority to collect the backlog created during the adverse weather. Extra vehicles and crews will double up on domestic waste collections. Residents should present their waste at the curtilage of the property for 7am on their scheduled day of collection.”
And, he added that properties which did not receive a collection this week will be entitled to receive a domestic bin collection along with a collection of four extra sacks or bags only.
Other local authorities reporting full suspension or disruption to services include but not limited to:Portsmouth city council, Stoke-on-Trent city council, Belfast city council, Barnsley metropolitan borough council, Hull city council, Sheffield city council and South Kesteven district council.
In the majority of cases, councils are advising residents to take their bins back in doors until a collection can be undertaken.
Endeavour
South Staffordshire has sought to assure residents that it will undertake collections while it is still feasible for crews to do so. A statement released by the local authority said: “Crews are out on site and collecting in areas where it is safe to do so, although some roads and estates are inaccessible. Please leave containers at the collection points and we will get to them as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Cherwell district council has also sought to make collections where it is possible, however, it has warned residents via its website that it is likely to miss some collections.
A statement released by Cherwell said: “Bins were not collected in a number of locations in Cherwell due to icy conditions experienced yesterday. All crews are out again today (Thursday, December 2) but access very much depends on the weather and current state of the roads.”
Residents are minded to check with councils to confirm whether or not collections are going ahead as planned on their collection day.
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