Rutland County Council in talks with Biffa after disruption to bin collections
The local authority says many other areas are facing a similar problem
Last updated 28th Jul 2021
Rutland County Council says its working with waste contractors Biffa after disruption to bin collections over the past few weeks.
There's been a series of delays to grey, green and black bin collections across the county because of several issues linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nationally there's a shortage of qualified HGV drivers able to carry out bin collections. Rural areas like Rutland find it difficult to attract new recruits.
There's also a national shortage of vehicle fitters able to carry out maintenance on the lorries, meaning vehicles have to be off the road for longer for repairs.
The pandemic has led to more people staying at home, producing more waste and more pressure on local bin collectors.
Penny Sharp, from Rutland County Council, said:
“We understand how frustrating the recent disruption to waste collections has been, and we want to assure residents that we’re doing all we can to address these issues.
"Unfortunately, because many of the problems are connected and the result of national issues associated with the impact of COVID, there is no quick fix.
"Lots of Councils are experiencing the same problems and we are working with Biffa to minimise the impact on our local services.
"However, we can’t rule out the possibility of further disruption while long-term solutions are put in place and apologise to residents for any inconvenience this may cause.
"We’d also like to thank residents for their patience and understanding as we work with Biffa to put sustainable solutions in place.”