Published Tuesday 31 March 2020 at 16:26
Our Customer Services Team is busier than ever answering your questions about how Council services have been affected by the Government guidance around coronavirus.
Many residents want to ask about the impact on bin collections and the extra bags of rubbish they may be accumulating.
Here, we’ve pulled together a list of the most frequently asked questions to help:
Q: Are bin collections still running?
A: Yes, thanks to the superb efforts of our bin crews, all collections are currently running as normal.
Please put your bins out as you’d usually do on your collection day by 7am.
Remember though, this is an ever-changing situation so keep checking theshuttle.org.uk and the council’s Facebook and Twitter pages for the very latest updates.
Q: I have extra rubbish in a bag/box will you take it?
A: Unfortunately, we won’t be able to take any extra waste that doesn’t fit in your bin.
Our crews are running at full capacity and extra waste means more time and more trips to the tip – this could result in some residents not having their bins emptied at all.
We also don’t want to add extra risk to the rounds for our bin crews who are already working hard to keep the service running smoothly in unprecedented times.
Did you know, more than 40% of the rubbish we put in our burgundy bins is food?
Please reduce your food waste as much as possible to help free up bin space for you – this will also cut down on the amount of trips you need to make to the shop and save money!
You can find some really useful tips at: Lovefoodhatewaste.com
Please also make sure everyone in your house knows what can be recycled.
Again, 20% of what goes into the burgundy bin could actually go in your grey bin and be recycled – freeing up more space.
Have a look at our full list for recycling here.
Q: I have extra recyclables in a bag/box will you take them?
A: Unfortunately, we can’t collect any recycling that doesn’t fit in your bin/sack (please see above).
Squash as many of your clean recyclables as possible – this will almost double your grey bin space!
Q: What should I do if have unavoidable extra waste?
A: Please store it somewhere safe and unexposed and think about splitting it over your next collections.
Have a look at this list and check what can be recycled in your grey recycling bin.
Q: Can I take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre myself?
A: Unfortunately our HWRC’s are both closed temporarily due to the current situation and restrictions.
You find a full list of closures here.
On this note, we know it’ll be tempting to have a good spring clean while spending more time at home.
However, please think about how you’ll store the extra waste that this will create?
If you do want to have a good tidy up, consider how you can store the rubbish and split it over your next few collections to make sure it fits in your bins but doesn’t make them too heavy.
Also, think about what you can keep to one side to donate to charity or pass on to friends and family when the current situation is over.
Q: Can I book a bulky collection to take the waste?
A: Usually we would encourage this, however, in-light of the current challenges we face, we’ve have taken the difficult decision to cancel all bulky collections in order to free up those staff who are needed to help other important service areas.
Q: My bin has gone missing what should I do?
A: Order your replacement bin here as normal.
However, please note there may be a delay in delivery if there’s a high number of requests from residents also asking for extra bins.
Q: Can I have extra bins?
A: You can have as many grey recycling bins as you like, providing they are being used right.
Burgundy bins, however, are limited to one per household and we carry out a strict waste audit to check that you are disposing of your waste correctly.
All additional bins can be requested here.
(For burgundy bins see question below before ordering)
My burgundy bin isn’t big enough what can I do?
A: If there are four or more people living in the house, you may be entitled to a larger burgundy bin. There is a £20 charge for the supply of the bin.
The details of those living in the property will be checked against Council records.
You can apply for a larger bin here.
Q: I’m struggling to put my bin out and bring it back in is there anything you can do?
A: For residents who are elderly/injured/disabled or pregnant and have nobody else in the household to help them, our crews can take your bin from your drive/yard/garden and will place it back where we found it.
To apply for the assisted waste scheme please click here.
Please note: If you fall under this category, you may also be able to get support from our Help Hub which can assist with providing food or other essentials during the current crisis.
Q: Are there any plans for a weekly collection on general waste?
A: No. We just don’t have the resources available to be able to do weekly collections.
To do that it would mean that some residents wouldn’t be able to have their bins emptied at all.
Q: A house close to me is being renovated and there is building materials and skips in the back alley, what should I do?
A: Please help our bin crews by taking your bin to your nearest collection point next to the road.
Work with your neighbours (within social distancing guidelines) and assist them if they too are having difficulties in moving their bins.
Q: I have noticed people are parking on junctions making it difficult for the bin wagons to get up and down my street. What can I do?
A: Please make sure there is space for our trucks to be able to get through for our crews to be able to empty your bins – this is very important for emergency vehicles too!
If the road is blocked we will not be able to empty the bins.
The crews will return later in the day to try again, but once we have been twice we will then have to leave bags to use until the next collection as we just won’t have the time to return again.
Q: I’ve noticed that the bin crews aren’t following the strict guidelines around social distancing. Why is this?
A: The health and safety of our staff is always our number one priority – more so than ever at this very challenging time.
This is an issue we are monitoring daily and have made changes to how we operate the service to protect our staff and their immediate families.
We are also constantly reviewing our protocols while we wait for further government advice specific to the waste industry.
Social distancing is very challenging given the confined space within the vehicle cabs and the number of staff required on a round.
We are working closely with our health and safety advisors, the Trades Unions and colleagues from other councils to make sure we are doing everything possible and will fully implement all guidelines.
As residents, you too can help keep our crews safe by taking the following steps:
Self-isolating
If you and your family are self-isolating as you have symptoms of Coronavirus, please:
- Double bag all the rubbish in your burgundy bin (especially things like tissues and disposable cleaning cloths)
- The bags should be tied securely
- Please keep them away from where you are self-isolating
- Don’t put them in the burgundy bin for at least 72 hours
Remember, you can find a full list of symptoms on the NHS website.
Keep your bin clean
While we’re all taking extra steps to keep our homes and workplaces clean, please don’t forget your wheelie bin!
Your crews can touch up to 2,000 bins each a day!
They’ll be wearing gloves, but please disinfect the bin handles when you take the bin out for collection and when you bring it back in.
Q: Can I burn my rubbish?
A: Please don’t. Smoke from waste fires causes pollution and nuisance and burning your domestic waste is against the law.
At this time it is particularly important that we do not affect others with our behaviour.
Please e-mail our public protection service if you require further advice: publicprotection@blackburn.gov.uk
Please note – things may change quickly due to the current uncertain times.
We are closely monitoring Government advice specific to the waste industry and all updates will be shared on our website, Shuttle and on the Council’s Facebook and Twitter.
You can find the links you need at the top of this story.