Brown bin collections suspended again across Stoke-on-Trent
Garden waste collections continue to be temporarily suspended
Last updated 6th Aug 2021
This is the second week that garden waste bins will be suspended in the city.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has confirmed that a number of staff are continuing to self-isolate and collection crews are having to prioritise grey household waste and blue recycling waste collections with the staff available.
Council leader Abi Brown said: “We’re pleased to say that a number of staff who were ‘pinged’ last week are now completing their self-isolation period and are safe and well, but we still have a number of other staff who will be isolating during next week. Our binmen are residents in the city, just like the rest of us, and we know that many other people who have had to self-isolate will understand how unsettling and trying it is.
“We ask for residents’ continued understanding at this time. We are working to ensure that we are able to staff and continue to keep grey and blue bin collections operating next week.
“We ask that residents keep their garden waste bins in next week while we continue to work through this.”
Where is affected?
Around 44,000 brown bin collections take place each week between April and October, and these collections will be temporarily suspended again next week.
Residents in:
Bentilee, Blurton, Dresden, Fenton, Longton, Meir, Meir Park, Normacot, Trentham and Weston Coyney who were due to have their brown bin collected next week are asked to not put their bins out.
If needed, residents can use their grey bins for grass cuttings, weeds, garden plant waste – where the excess soil has been removed, small branches, hedge trimmings, food waste, bones, teabags and coffee grounds. Grey bins must not be used for soil, compost and rubble.
Councillor Brown said: “We’d like to stress to residents that we haven’t taken this decision lightly, but we have a shortage of drivers and refuse loaders which means we are unable to provide this service as usual.
"We are redirecting our staff and resources to keep household waste and recycling collections going.
The city council’s Household Waste Recycling Centres at Hanford and at Federation Road, Burslem remain open and will accept garden waste.
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