WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTIONS SUSPENDED FOR SECOND DAY

Waste and recycling collections across Thanet have been suspended for a second day running, with normal collections not operating today (Friday 8 January), due to the poor weather conditions.

Despite the suspension of waste and recycling collections, the council's team is out today, clearing limited amounts of waste. The large refuse trucks, which can take up to 12 tonnes of waste, cannot safely be taken out on the roads, following tests earlier this morning. The council is using much smaller trucks, which can carry between 1.5 and 2.5 tonnes of waste to start clearing the backlog. On-street community bins, which generally serve blocks of flats and litter bins are being emptied and the team are removing any black sacks that were due to be collected either yesterday or today that they can safely reach.

Waste and recycling staff came into work at 5.30am this morning, but were unable to take the trucks out, as the area's pavements remain icy and dangerous, while the side roads, where most homes are located, are also extremely treacherous for the freighters.

Today's missed waste collections will now be collected next week on Friday 15 January. Those due to have their rubbish or recycling collected today should only put out their non-recyclable household rubbish next Friday. The council will also be collecting any additional waste that day. For those on the wheeled bin scheme, please note that we will only be collecting black bins and household rubbish and not recycling next Friday.

The council's street cleaning and grounds maintenance teams are also joining in the effort, helping Kent County Council, by clearing snow and salting pavements in the town centres outside the shops. Key car parks across Thanet were also salted yesterday by the council.

Cllr. Shirley Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: "Once again, we've had our waste and recycling team turn out, ready to go out and do collections, but the story is the same as it was yesterday. It's just not safe to send out 26 ton trucks in these icy conditions. Our priority is the safety of our staff, who have to deal with black sacks and wheeled bins, and our residents. The last thing we want is an accident and that's why we've suspended collections today.

"Our teams are out and about, doing everything they can to deal with the backlog. Although we can't get the trucks out, we are using every available small van that we have and we have staff out across the area, trying to do whatever they can. However, people need to bear in mind that these vehicles just can't pick up the volume of rubbish that the trucks can. As soon as we can safely get out, we will be resuming rubbish collections and we will be putting extra resources, as needed, into next week's collections, to help deal with the backlog."

Residents with collections on Thursday, who missed their collection yesterday (Thursday 7 January) should put black wheeled bins and black sacks out next Thursday (14 January). As with the Friday collections, additional waste will be taken on that date, but no recycling will be collected.

Residents who have collections on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday have, to date, been unaffected by the adverse weather. As a result, black sacks and wheeled bins should be put out as normal on your usual day of collection next week. For those on wheeled bin rounds, they should refer to their wheeled bin collection calendar and put out the correct bin on their usual day of collection, as specified on their calendars. You can also check your collection details online on the council's website at http://www.thanet.gov.uk/databases/refuse/