Date issued: 8 February 2021
Extensive snow and ice will cause disruption to Colchester Borough Council’s recycling and rubbish collection service this week.
Council rubbish and recycling vehicles will continue to be deployed and will attempt collections where it is safe to do so. However, current road and footway conditions, particularly on minor roads, housing estates and rural areas are making it impossible for the large HGV refuse vehicles and their crews to operate safely.
Continued freezing weather is forecast for the rest of the week, so it is unlikely that conditions will improve to levels that will enable a return to a full and comprehensive service. As such, a very limited service is likely to operate for the rest of this week.
Householders should put out their bins and containers on their scheduled collection days as normal. If no collection service is provided by 5.30pm on that day, then they should take them back to their property until the following scheduled collection day.
- If you are on a Blue Week w/c 8 February: re-present your bins and containers on your next Blue Week (w/c 22 February).
- If you are on a Green Week w/c 8 February: re-present your bins and containers on your next Green Week (w/c 22 February).
Residents are asked not to call the council’s contact centre if their bin/containers are not collected and will not be able to report a missed bin on its website. The council will have a note of all properties it has been unable to collect from.
Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, said: “Every effort will be made to provide households with a collection of rubbish and recycling on their scheduled collection day.
“I understand any frustration that residents may have, but the weather has left us with no choice. Conditions will be reassessed daily, and adjustments made to collection schedules to ensure that services are provided safely.
“We ask residents to bear with us over the next few weeks.”
In the meantime, residents are asked to reduce and recycle their rubbish as much as they possibly can. Metal cans, glass bottles and jars can all go in the green boxes (separate your glass and cans where possible). Paper and plastics can be recycled using clear bags (separate paper and plastics). Please continue to use food waste caddy’s for as long as possible.
Residents are asked to help pass this message on to friends, family and neighbours in Colchester.
The council will continue to monitor the weather conditions over the coming days and will update and advise further.
The council’s Bulky Waste collections are continuing where it is safe for crews to do so. Residents will be contacted if the council is unable to collect as planned.
Further updates will be shared on the council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Page last reviewed: 8 February 2021