How to Avoid Missed Waste Collections
You may have missed several waste collections this month. There were many reasons for missed collections, including bad weather, staff illness, and Coronavirus. Read on to learn why your collection days are not always as regular as you would like. But no matter the reason, some things can be done to avoid missing waste collections.
Here are some tips to prepare for a missed collection.
Staff illness
Several councils across the UK are experiencing delays in waste collection because of staff sickness. The problem is particularly acute in London, where many boroughs have announced several service changes due to the lack of staff. In addition to London, Bristol, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset, some councils cancel services and suspend others. For instance, the Chelmsford city council cancelled three days of food waste collections over the festive season, and North Somerset has halted the collection of 1,000 recycling bins.
The HSE’s figures show that musculoskeletal disorders are the most common reason for absences in the waste and recycling sector. Despite this, the absence rate is lower for private-sector workers – just 6.8% of their workers are absent from work. The absence rate of recycling and waste collection workers is higher than that of the general public. The HSE’s figures indicate that musculoskeletal disorders cause more absences than any other type of illness.
Lack of drivers
In recent months, the shortage of drivers has been attributed to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced recruitment of women and increased regulations. But the waste collection industry has already faced driver shortages before the WHO’s declaration. As a result, the shortage of drivers in the waste collection industry is not unique to waste hauling but indicates the broader issue of licensed commercial drivers.
Other reasons for the shortage include an ageing workforce, lack of recruitment of women, increased regulations, and more competition from other companies. Further, in the absence of sufficient workers, companies have turned to alternative sources of labour. Another issue contributing to the shortage is the lack of HGV drivers. Driver shortages are a massive problem for the waste collection industry.
As a result, the government is encouraging all sectors of the economy to adapt to the shortage by offering training and career opportunities. The government is also encouraging employers to provide additional wage increases. However, it will still take a long to find the right solution. Waste haulage companies and chain retailers are raising wages to address the problem.
Some residents have reported that their refuse collections are affected by a shortage of drivers. The shortage has resulted in bin collections being delayed or even cancelled entirely. Residents in Cornwall, Devon and Oxfordshire have been unable to dispose of their garden waste because of driver shortages. Other councils in London have also reported missed waste collections. As a result, residents now have to deal with piles of refuse at the curbside for weeks.
The shortage of drivers has also affected the food and beverage industry, which has seen a severe shortage of HGV drivers. Coca-Cola said it was suffering from a shortage of drivers, while pub chain Wetherspoon’s has been hampered by a beer shortage. Several fast-food companies have also suffered from supply-chain problems, including Nando’s, which recently closed a tenth of its restaurants due to a chicken shortage.
Coronavirus
Suppose you suspect you or a member of your household has been affected by the Coronavirus. In that case, you should store all of your waste separately and safely in disposable rubbish bags. Keep your bins separate from the rest of your household waste for 72 hours. You can still discard your other household waste normally. If you’re unsure when your collection will take place, contact My Waste Services to schedule an appointment.
You should also make an appointment for garden waste if you live in an area with high bacterial load-stacking. While preparing for a Coronavirus-affected waste collection, don’t forget to keep your bins clean and dry. The local councils that service your area provide different bins for your household waste. All household waste should be separated from your recyclables. Depending on your location, they may have to adjust their schedules.
To ensure that your waste and recycling collection is complete and on time, you can check with your local council and the collection day schedule. As staff shortages due to the Covid virus continue to affect council collections, many councils have cut back bin collection services. The apologies come as no surprise given the current situation.
Staff absences from the illness have impacted many crews, and some councils are even cancelling waste collections for days before Christmas. Birmingham City Council apologised for missing Christmas and New Year’s Day collections, and Chelmsford council has cancelled three days of food waste collection. As a precautionary measure, if you’re unsure of the risk of the Coronavirus infection, you can store any personal waste in disposable rubbish bags for 72 hours.
Dispose of your other household waste as usual. Clean hands before you put out your waste bags for collection, and disinfect any container handles before putting them out. You can find more information about the condition on the government’s website. There are some helpful resources on COVID-19 infections.
Avoid Missed Waste Collections – Learn more about UK business waste statistics here
Other useful links from our Commercial Waste Centre
Why Should Your Business Go Paperless?
Choosing a Garage Waste Management Service
Developing an EMS for Hazardous Waste
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