Residents urged to use judgement before visiting recycling centres

May 18, 2020

With the Borough’s two household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) reopening to the public next week (Monday 18 May), the council is urging residents to think carefully and consider whether they need to visit or not.

Strict social distancing measures will be in place to keep visitors and staff safe and well and Government guidance states residents should only visit the site if they are unable to safely store their waste at home, without it causing a risk to public health, or they are unable to dispose of the waste through usual weekly kerbside collections.

The council is urging residents to be aware of this Government guidance and make a common sense decision on whether their trip to the recycling centre is needed. There are likely to be long queues, so please bear this in mind and only visit if it is absolutely necessary.

Any residents showing symptoms of COVID-19, is self-isolating or shielding should not visit any recycling centre under any circumstances and should follow advice from Public Health England.

For more information on the restrictions in place at the site, please visit www.southend.gov.uk/hwrc

Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “I am urging residents to only visit the sites if absolutely necessary, and particularly to start with when we expect it to be very busy.

“Even though lockdown restrictions have been lifted slightly, we must not become complacent. I cannot stress enough that the centres are reopening to allow residents to dispose of waste they cannot store safely at home or recycle for the weekly collection, not as an excuse to get out of the house to get rid of one of two pink or black sacks.

“Although the sites will be open seven days a week and with extended hours (7am – 6pm), they will be very busy to start with, and queues to enter are expected. We therefore urge residents to consider carefully whether to take the trip, and if they do need to go, to please check the link to the sites’ webcams on the council website so you don’t add to the queues.

“It is absolutely vital that residents continue to follow Government and Public Health England advice around the Coronavirus pandemic, and to please make a common sense decision around whether they should visit the sites.”