Amazingly, our bin collections have continued as normal during lockdown. I can remember what happens when they are not collected over a long period of time, so am really grateful that the service has not been curtailed.
During the Winter of Discontent (1978-79) waste was not picked up for around 4 weeks. Piles of smelly rubbish appeared on the streets and rats were seen. There was no recycling in those days, so food waste was mixed in with plastic and paper. We were encouraged to “Burn or bury all you can” – a rather unfortunate public message to appear on the gates of the local cemetery and crematorium.
Refuse collection is an unpleasant and physically challenging job, and I have huge respect for the people who do it. But I was alarmed this morning to see that our local teams were exposing themselves to high levels of risk. Not only are they handling waste which could well be infected with the virus, but they do not have masks or disposable gloves. Even more worrying is the fact that they are unable to socially distance themselves while working.
Bin collectors have reported that they don’t feel safe when working.
The Government has provided advice for local authorities on waste collection services, plus guidance on social distancing:
When staff are sharing an enclosed space, such as in refuse and waste collection vehicle cabs and are unable to maintain a 2 metre distance, they should wash their hands for 20 seconds or longer before getting into, or after getting out of, the vehicle, or use hand sanitiser where hand washing is not possible.
Where it is not possible to avoid having more than one person in the vehicle, teams should keep the windows of the vehicle open for ventilation, and be careful to avoid touching their face at all times. Staff should still be advised to keep 2 metres apart as much as possible.
On my road there are three people in each team and they all travel in the front cab of the truck together.
The advice to wash or sanitise hands before getting in or out of the cab seems pretty unworkable to me. Bin collectors have always worn thick gloves all the time to protect themselves from dirt and sharp objects, and they are jumping in and out of the cab every few minutes as they work their way along a street.
Are they expected to remove their gloves to use hand sanitiser every two minutes? Or should they be disinfecting their gloves each time in some way? Should they be wearing disposable gloves instead and how often should they change them? Shouldn’t they be wearing masks?
This is one of the many front lines providing essential services to all of us, and they deserve better.
Please note
We have been in full self-isolation since 16th March to protect my husband whose immune system is compromised.
If you are in self-isolation then join the Lib Dems in self-isolation Facebook group.
You can find my previous Isolation diaries here.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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10 Comments
Thank you, Mary. A reminder of the risks so many are taking to ensure that these essential tasks are carried out.
Our street (via its Facebook group) decided to stick posters on our bins saying thank you to the collectors. There were some quite elaborately designed ones.
I guess the way to repay these workers is to do what we can to make sure that they have good employment conditions and vote for parties at local government level who will ensure that all employees are treated well.
If sanitation workers are regularly wearing gloves, then that in itself should prevent them from coming into contact with the virus by their hands, and they would not need to frequently wash them. But they shouldn’t touch their faces with their gloves, and the gloves should be completely cleaned (or replaced) every day.
And yes, they should be wearing masks.
Our local social group have all been ‘phoning the council to ask for two things:
1) the bin collectors should actually come every fortnight as promised
2) when they come collect the glass for recycling as per contract and not just drive by
The next step would be contacting the local councillor, who is the leader of the Tory group and say that we do understand that the bin men are on a seven day week, but the controlling group have recently negotiated a new contract. This step has not happened yet because they came yesterday and emptied the brown wheelie-bins and food-waste small bins.
Our green wheelie-bin is also full, roll on Friday.
Grass cuttings can be used to mulch potato plants to protect against frost, but do not rot down well in compost heaps. TV Gardeners World used straw (if available). Radio Four Gardeners Question Time have twice said lay a sheet of cardboard (plenty available now) and put the old compost on it. The cardboard suppresses anything beneath it. Feral insects should find their own way in.
Loose soil from mole hills can be added on dry days.
By Mary Reid | Tue 12th May 2020 – 5:00 pm
Staying home in England is an option.
The BBC Red Button is reporting that there are cows on the M1 in Northamptonshire leading to a northbound queue of two miles.
Boris should be told
Hands off the BBC
There may be times when you will find it useful.
1) Food waste needs to be collected promptly. I don’t think there is any public health risk in letting newspapers, bottles or empty cans pile up for long periods in a garage or spare room. Do we need all three bins emptied every week at present?
2) Can we afford to abandon recycling targets during the emergency and revert temporarily to the old ways when all the Council had to do was get the rubbish off doorsteps and get rid of it any old how?
@Gary J “ I don’t think there is any public health risk in letting newspapers, bottles or empty cans pile up for long periods in a garage or spare room”
That does, of course, rather presuppose the existence of a garage and/or a spare room.
On a lighter note
Glad to see someone standing up for our binmen. They need much more support and protection – the country would literally be a cesspit without them.
It is criminal that any essential workers are going without adequate protection – be it the NHS, care assistants, bus drivers, rail workers, police and binmen.
David-1: “If sanitation workers are regularly wearing gloves, then that in itself should prevent them from coming into contact with the virus by their hands, and they would not need to frequently wash them.”
That is a rational assumption, David, but people get an itch or a fly lands on their neck — so they touch things which they would not do if following advice.
One useful request from my local council — wash your bin lid down with disinfectant or diluted bleach before and after it is emptied. You don’t need to go to extremes, just splash and wipe a disinfectant over handles and rims which refuse collectors may have to touch.
CoViD19 has been around long enough now for there to be some data on the real level of risk bin collectors have been exposing themselves to.
As for team working, well with the partial lifting of social distancing constraints, I suspect teams are going to be working together more, rather than having members swapped between teams, whilst this isn’t full social distancing it will limit social interaction.