Bin Collections - 21 January 2013

Posted on January 20, 2013

Update 23rd January 13:00 Waste collections are going ahead as scheduled today and where possible trying to clear any missed collections from Monday and Tuesday.

Update 22nd January 12:30 Waste collections are going ahead as scheduled and where possible trying to clear any missed collections from yesterday.

However many side roads across the district are still inaccessible for the waste collection vehicles and we don't send the crews out into areas where there is a risk to pedestrians, property or vehicles. We want to ensure all our collection crews are safe and will not encourage them to collect when it's not safe for them to do so.

Update 21st January 09.00: Due to the weather conditions there are no waste collections taking place today, but the Household Waste Recycling Centres remain open for the time being.

On Friday 18th, Waste collections were suspended across all of the South region of Central Bedfordshire.

If it is not possible to collect residents' waste on Monday (21st January 2013) due to the icy and snowy conditions, they will try to catch up on missed collections as soon as possible, but this is dependant on the accessibility of individual roads and routes. This may change on a daily or even hourly basis. As collections are made from over 110,000 households and accessibility is assessed as each street is approached it is not possible to provide individualised messages about when collections will be made from specific streets.

Please put your bins out as normal, and if your bin or bag is not collected on Monday 21st, please leave your missed bins in an accessible location for collection and they will be collected as soon as your street is accessible and it is safe to do so.

FAQ's provided by Central Bedfordshire Council

1. What should I do if you don't collect my waste on the normal day because of the weather?
   Please leave your bin or bags in their normal location for collection and we will collect it/them as soon as it is accessible and safe to do so. If this is not possible (due to space, cluttering the roads etc.) bring it in overnight.
2. Can you tell me which day my bin will be collected after you've missed my normal collection day?
   We try to catch up on missed collections as soon as possible, but this is dependant on the accessibility of individual roads and routes. This may change on a daily basis during the adverse weather period. As we collect from over 110,000 households we can't guarantee everyone will receive an individualised message about their specific street's waste collections. We will update our website and social media if collections are interrupted.
3. I'm expected to drive to work when there's snow and ice. Why can't your crews collect my bin?
   The average car weighs between 1 and 2 tonnes whereas our refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) weigh over 25 tonnes. They require more control, especially on small roads with parked cars on either side. We do not send the crews out when there is a risk of danger to pedestrians or damaging our residents' property or vehicles. We want to ensure that our collection crews are safe and will not encourage them to collect waste when it is not safe for them to do so.
4. Why can't the RCVs (Refuse Collection Vehicles) be fitted with snow tyres or chains?
   The time taken to fit and remove snow tyres or chains would be significant because of the varying conditions on the roads during adverse weather. Some local authorities were still unable to collect waste even when their vehicles were fitted with snow tyres, so there would be limited benefit to our vehicles having snow tyres.
5. Once the weather conditions have improved, can you catch up on bin collections within the week?
   Whilst we endeavour to catch up on missed collections as quickly as we can, we have a limited workforce and number of vehicles. We operate at maximum capacity, using all vehicles available to collect the missed collection, and will collect on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays if needed. If we can't catch up within 2 days, we will accept extra waste on the next collection for that bin. We will prioritise collection of clinical and weekly collection across the district. In the north we will prioritise collection of food waste followed by recycling, and in the south we will prioritise residual followed by recycling.
6. Some councils didn't collect bins for 6 weeks last year. Won't I have lots of maggots in my bin if that happens again?
   If we miss a collection due to adverse weather conditions, it is likely that waste high in water content (such as food) will be frozen in the food waste or residual bin and will not harbour maggot larvae. You can double wrap any food in your bin if you are concerned. Don't forget you can put all your uncooked fruit and vegetables in your compost bin.
7. I'm not getting a service I've paid for. Can I have a refund on my council tax?
   On average your bin collection costs around £1 per collection per household, which is a small percentage of your council tax. You will have your waste collected, but there may be a delay.

Source: Central Bedfordshire Council