Reading’s Green Waste Collections to resume Monday 6th September
- Green bin subscriptions will be extended to cover any weeks missed
Reading Borough Council is restarting its green waste collections on Monday 6th September - after staff suffering from COVID and self-isolation forced a pause to collections.
Subscribers to the green waste scheme will not lose out financially, their subscription period will be automatically extended to cover the weeks missed.
The council is asking residents to put all green bins outside on their normal collection days from Monday 6th September and to share the news with neighbours. Residents can check their green waste collection day on the Council’s website if they are unsure; www.reading.gov.uk/bin-calendar/
Unfortunately excess bagged green waste in addition to green bins will be unable to be collected and residents can book slots at the re3 centre in Island Road to dispose of their garden waste. Visits must be booked in advance at https://re3.fccenvironment.co.uk/click-tip-services/
Many businesses and councils suffered from staffing problems and service disruption due to the impact of COVID-19, Reading Borough Council had to operate with a significant reduction in waste drivers and loaders and council waste resources needed to focus on priority collections of residual waste and recycling, including food waste collections.
Now, with some additional successful recruitment to the waste team and an ease in the number of staff isolating, green bin waste collections can resume.
Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Neighbourhoods and Communities, said:
“I’m heartened to hear that green waste collections are resuming on Monday 6th September, thanks to the hard work of the team recruiting new members of staff and thankfully, fewer staff needing to isolate. Garden waste subscriptions will be automatically extended to cover any weeks missed and I’d ask residents to help by sharing the information as widely as possible with friends and neighbours.”
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we had to pause weekly green bin collections, and our bin crews who have worked tirelessly in these exceptional circumstances to keep waste and recycling collections going as usual.”
“We absolutely appreciate this is a busy time of year for gardeners and it will have caused inconvenience. Councils across the country experienced disruption to waste collection services caused by the increasing number of Covid cases and consequent rise in people having to self-isolate.”
“The pause in green waste collections protected household waste and recycling collections. So much has been going on behind the scenes to keep vital services going, such as working additional hours, moving drivers from other areas to work on collections, and redeploying office staff to support the frontline. I am proud of the efforts of the team.”