Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will be instructed to reopen in the coming weeks, communities minister Robert Jenrick said on Tuesday.
However, no date has been set for re-opening the Isle of Wight’s rubbish tips to the public.
Jenrick: Organised reopenings
Speaking in a local government question time, Mr Jenrick thanked bin men and women who have been collecting waste during lockdown.
Mr Jenrick also said he would ask local authorities to plan ‘the organised re-opening of household waste sites in the coming weeks’.
Closed during lockdown
HWRCs on the Island, Afton Marsh in Freshwater and the household lane at Lynbottom, in Downend, have been closed since the end of March as part of Coronavirus lockdown measures.
No date has been confirmed for when the HWRCs could open but head of the Isle of Wight Council’s waste services, Natasha Dix, said safe and controlled measures will need to be considered.
She said:
“The council has been working over the past few weeks to develop a strategy for a managed re-opening of the HWRCs at the appropriate time.
“Re-opening will require safe and controlled measures to manage social distancing, which will need to consider the volume of vehicles that may come to the site at any one time.
“We anticipate when the government updates guidance on the opening of sites, the council and Amey will move to implement a managed re-opening to ensure the safety of both visitors to the site and our staff.
“We appreciate the patience and resilience of our residents and have seen a fantastic effort with recycling at the kerbside.
“We cannot thank Islanders enough for the support they have given to our recycling and waste collection crews.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may be been made by OnTheWight. Ed
