News In The Hebden Bridge List

Clearing The Waste Collection Backlog In Calderdale

Calderdale Council and its waste collection contractor SITA UK, are pulling out all the stops to clear the backlog of household waste. Waste and recycling collections were suspended during the extreme winter weather, because refuse and recycling collection vehicles were unable to reach many collection points.

Now Calderdale Council and SITA UK have already started to catch up on collections.

Over the next two weeks, additional vehicles and crews will be working hard to clear the backlog. Crews will be working on Saturdays to make up time, starting on Saturday 23 January, and will temporarily collect recycling in any bag or container.

Residents should place out all materials on their normal collection day. In most cases crews will collect on the normal day but given the backlog, collections may be a day or maximum of two days late. Householders are advised to leave the material out for this period.

All recycling of all types should be put out on the usual recycling days and crews will collect everything presented.

Weather permitting, it is expected that the backlog should be cleared over the course of a two-week collection cycle.

Calderdale Council’s Head of Housing and Environment, Mark Thompson, says: “This has been a very challenging time for all of us. I would like to thank all our residents for their continued patience during the extremely severe weather. Crews are now working flat out to clear the backlog of waste.”

SITA UK’s Operating Officer for Logistics, Dave Foster, says: “Over the past couple of weeks, collections have been difficult and in some cases impossible but our recycling and refuse crews are working extremely hard to collect waste across the borough.

“Our focus will be to clear critical areas like flats but I would ask that residents are patient with us. We will get to you as quickly as we can.”

SITA UK and Calderdale Council are working hard to get services running normally again and in the meantime here are a few practical suggestions to residents:

• Squash all plastic bottles – this will make more space in blue bins and boxes.

• Ensure all cardboard boxes are flattened – again to give more room

• Aluminium and tin cans can be squashed to make more space

• If you have a compost bin at home try to compost as much fruit and vegetable waste as you can.

If you are braving the weather to take your glass to one of the local recycling banks please do not put waste or recycling in front of the banks, if they are full call the Council on 0845 245 6000.