Council cancels bin collections after heatwave triggers staff absences

Telegraph

a day ago

A council in Surrey cancelled bin collections for residents after the heatwave led to 'unprecedented absences' among staff.
In an email to households, Reigate and Banstead council said it was dealing with 'very challenging working conditions' as a result of the hot weather, meaning that some residents may have missed out on a garden waste collection recently.
Earlier this month, the council wrote to residents who pay extra for a green bin collection to inform them of the cancellation.
The email sent on Monday said: 'This week our waste and recycling team is experiencing unprecedented absence and very challenging working conditions due to the heatwave.
'As a result, we have taken the decision to cancel garden waste collections this week.
'Please be reassured that we will collect any excess waste on your next scheduled collection day.'
However, customers – who pay £72 per bin per year – will not receive a refund.
Colchester City Council, in Essex, also suspended collections of paper, plastic, cans and glass earlier this month to spare workers from lifting heavy loads in scorching temperatures.
'Due to extreme heat and an amber weather warning issued by the Met Office, we have suspended dry recycling collections (paper, plastic, cans, and glass) scheduled for Tuesday July 1 2025,' the council said, asking residents not to put out their bins on the scheduled day.
'With temperatures expected to exceed 30C, this decision has been made to protect the health and well-being of our collection crews.'
All services have since been restored, the council said.
An array of other local authorities across the country have ordered residents to put their bins out earlier in the morning to enable collections and spare lorry crews from the most severe heat.
Meanwhile, Birmingham's bin strike has afflicted residents for six months, as the Unite union battles the council in a row over pay.
The dispute has spilled over into Westminster politics as the union suspended the membership of Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister.
Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, accused Ms Rayner of ' totally and utterly abhorrent' behaviour for her support of the council.
The suspension of some bin collections comes as a fresh blow to gardeners as swathes of the country are covered by hosepipe bans, with dry weather depleting reservoirs.
Thames Water is the latest provider to tell its customers to use a watering can in the garden instead in an effort to limit usage.
More than 1m of the company's customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Swindon, most of Wiltshire and parts of Berkshire, will be told to cease using hosepipes from July 22, for gardening as well as for cleaning cars and windows, and filling pools.
South East Water and Yorkshire Water have also introduced restrictions on use.
Farmers in East Anglia have warned of significant harvest losses after the Environment Agency imposed an 'abstraction ban' on hundreds of businesses, which prevents them from irrigating crops.