Household waste and recycling centres in the city will reopen from next Thursday (14 May), with restrictions in place as part of a controlled reintroduction of services in response to coronavirus
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced that the two sites, in Hanford and in Federation Road, Burslem, will open on their usual days and with earlier closing times. But the authority is advising households that:
- A number of restrictions are in place to protect residents and staff.
- They should continue to hold on to their waste if they can.
- They should be prepared for long waits if they do visit the sites.
- Ideally they should continue to use their normal bin collections for household waste, as appropriate.
The announcement means that the Hanford site will open every day apart from Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Burslem site will open on Friday 15 May, and will then open every day apart from Wednesdays and Thursdays. Both sites will close half an hour earlier to allow for full cleaning of the facilities, so the opening hours will be 8am to 4pm for Hanford and 9am to 4pm for Federation Road.
To further support households, the council has also announced that bulky waste collections will resume from Wednesday (13 May), and residents can now start to make bookings via: www.stoke.gov.uk/forms/form/1250/en/book_a_bulky_waste_collection, via the MyStoke App or by calling 01782 234234.
Council leader Abi Brown said: “We have moved quickly to plan to open both sites in a controlled way that will support households in the city, while following national guidelines to protect residents and our staff.
“As such, there are a number of restrictions in place, and we urge residents to carefully consider if they really need to make a trip to the tip – our advice is to please hold on to your waste if you can and to continue to use your grey, blue and brown bins wherever possible.
“We expect that there will be long wait times at the tip sites, so please do not make a trip unless you really have to. Visiting the sites will be very different than usual, and all restrictions in place must be observed.
“I’m pleased to announce that we are also reintroducing bulky waste collections. This service will begin again next Wednesday (13 May). It means that from now, residents can book a collection for up to five household items at a price of £40 and our crews will start collections from Wednesday. We ask that residents please wipe down their items before leaving them out for our crews, in the same way that we ask households to wipe down the handles of their bins before putting them out.
“We are reintroducing these services to support residents, and I’d like to thank the vast majority of households who have continued to follow the lockdown regulations.”
The restrictions at the tip sites are:
- Anyone who is self-isolating or has Covid-19 symptoms must not visit either site.
- If you have waste that you suspect or is contaminated with Covid-19 material, please ensure that is bagged twice and has been isolated for at least 72 hours before bring it to the site.
- There will be a strict limit to the number of vehicles allowed on site at any one time.
- Only one person will be permitted per vehicle. Where younger children can’t stay at home, they will be allowed to travel in but they must not get out of the car.
- Only cars will be admitted. No trailers or vans of any sort will be allowed. This will be continuously under review.
- Only bring items that you can safely load and unload yourself.
- Site staff will be unable to assist with unloading vehicles. Only one visit will be allowed per day, and registration numbers will be recorded.
- No trade or commercial waste will be accepted.
- Asbestos, oils and paints will not be accepted. They will need to be stored safely at home until we're able to safely process them. We will publicise when we are able to accept these materials.
- Visitors must respect the strict two-metre rule both from staff and other site users.
- Access will be by car only. Walking-in of waste will not be allowed.
- Use of the sites is restricted to Stoke-on-Trent residents only.
Councillor Brown said: “There will be staff on the gates at the two sites to advise you, keep you safe and make sure you can complete your trip in as quick a time as possible. Please listen and follow their instructions and remember the extra guidelines in place will cause significant delays, so please be patient. We estimate our sites will only take an average of three cars unloading at any one time, so around 20 cars per hour. Staff are working hard in difficult circumstances to open the sites and to keep them operating. Please treat our staff with respect; they will be following government and industry guidance on keeping you safe.”
Meanwhile, the council is warning residents over the domestic burning of waste, after receiving a sharp increase in complaints. Since lockdown measures came into force on 23 March, 88 complaints have been made to the council’s public protection team, compared to 12 in the same period last year.
Councillor Brown said: “We appreciate that DIY and gardening are some of the few pastimes that households can enjoy during the lockdown, and that this can lead to additional waste. However, the smoke and smell from fumes from bonfires can cause a nuisance to neighbours and smoke can cause additional difficulties for those suffering with respiratory issues or are shielding due to the coronavirus.
“In extreme cases, we have the legal powers to take action to deal with these issues, including serving an abatement notice which can be prosecuted in court.
“We advise residents to compost garden waste where possible, or safely store it until our tips fully resume and garden waste collections return to normal.”
A two-week sweep of garden waste collections will conclude tomorrow (Friday), with crews visiting 327 streets in Baddeley Edge, Baddeley Green, Barlaston, Blurton, Hanford, Longton, Milton, Stockton Brook and Trentham. Once collections are completed, the council will review arrangements before considering next steps.
For more information and advice on coronavirus (Covid-19) please visit Public Health England:
https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/ and the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.
All residents are reminded about the critical importance of regular handwashing with soap and hot water for 20 seconds. The significance of this action cannot be underestimated.
For more information on digital services, visit www.stoke.gov.uk, download the MyStoke App, or follow the city council’s social media channels.
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