Month: May 2020

The following household recycling centres are open:

• Hereford HRC, Chapel Road, Rotherwas
• Leominster HRC, Bridge Street, Leominster

Open hours 7 days per week from 8am to 6pm.

The other household recycling centres in Kington, Bromyard, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye will remain closed for the time being.

We are looking into the possibilities for the re-opening of further household recycling centres as we are keen to reduce the current pressure on our waste collection service and provide more local facilities but this will depend on whether additional resources can be allocated to do this.

Our priority has been to re-open the two largest, best equipped and most well used household recycling centres in the county. The contractor has concentrated all its available resource to do this, utilising staff from across all of the sites so that social distancing measures, traffic management, increased cleaning and safety can be maintained at those sites that are open.

Do not visit unless it is essential

• Essential means you must only visit if waste or recycling cannot be stored at home safely or disposed of safely by other means.
  By this we mean the waste cannot be stored without causing risk of injury, health or harm. There is no other reason the journey will be considered a legitimate purpose for travel. If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.
• Do not visit the site if you or a member of your household are unwell, as you should be following the Government guidance on self-isolation. This means you should not visit if you are:
  • Extremely vulnerable and are remaining at home for shielding purposes
  • Symptomatic with coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • In a 14-day household isolation
• Please check whether council collections of garden or bulky wastes are available to you before travelling to a recycling centre. If available, you should make use of council collection services rather than travelling to a household waste recycling centre.
• After visiting the recycling centre, please remember not to touch your face and to wash your hands for 20 seconds on arrival at your destination.
• Head to the Recycle Now website for more information on recycling during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Social distancing measures will be in place at each site

• Only a limited number of residents will be allowed on site at any one time.
• A ‘supermarket style’ system will be implemented, with a ‘one out, one in’ access policy.
• No assistance will be provided on site so only load items you can unload yourself.
• No walking in of waste is allowed.
• No bicycle access is allowed.​
• Alternate parking spaces / bays will be blocked off.
• Access to each skip will be by one resident at a time.

Restrictions to some services

• Only household waste will be accepted – no traders
• No soil improver / compost sales.
• No re-use /charity drop off points.
• No asbestos disposal.

If you do need to visit, please be patient – we expect sites to be busy

Both sites will be open seven days a week. Help to avoid queues and long waiting times by not rushing to sites immediately in the first few days. Staff will be on hand to ensure all guidelines are followed.

• Keep to the 2 metre distancing rules at all times
• Ideally come alone and wear gloves and suitable footwear (no open toe sandals)
• Stay in your vehicle while queuing to aid with social distancing and wait to be directed to a parking bay by staff.
• Please be patient. Remember that going to HRCs will be different from the way the system operated before lockdown, and that it will be a while before social distancing restrictions are lifted.
• Transit-type vans and trailers will need a 2020/21 CVT permit to enter the site.
• If you have a CVT Permit please display to site staff and then place into the container.
• Last entry to the sites will be 5.45pm as the sites shut at 6pm.

Please act responsibly towards other visitors and staff

• Severn Waste Services will not tolerate any form of abusive behaviour towards its staff and will take action against offenders.
• If you do not comply with social distancing guidance, you will be asked to leave the site and the site may have to close temporarily.

Consider other ways of managing your waste

If you are able to manage your waste differently or at home please do so. Some simple measures that will help include:

• Cut and drop – don’t collect grass cuttings unless you intend to use them for home composting, simply cut the grass without the collector on.
• Create a compost heap –  if you have room. If not, use a low cost home composter to keep the garden tidy.
• Please check whether council collections of garden, bulky, or other wastes are available before travelling to a household recycling centre. If available, please use the services rather than making a visit.
• DIY waste – store your DIY waste responsibly until restrictions are lifted.
• Consider contacting a registered skip hire company or wait until the recycling centres are operating as normal.
• New appliances. Request that the supplier takes back the old appliance wherever possible.
• General waste – Plan your meals to reduce waste. Check your fridge is the correct temperature and store perishable food in the freezer wherever possible.
• Do not burn your waste – burning most wastes is illegal. Store any waste that cannot be collected safely until restrictions are lifted.

The other Household Recycling Centres in Kington, Bromyard, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye will remain closed for the time being, until available staffing resource will permit these sites to reopen as well.

Government guidance will be followed to ensure our sites can safely operate, and strict social distancing measures will be in place to protect both the public and staff. Only limited numbers of vehicles will be permitted entry at any time so long queues and delays are likely.

The government’s view is that household recycling centres play a critical role in the local management of waste, so making a journey to one is considered a “reasonable excuse” if a resident has difficulty safely storing unavoidable waste.

Journeys to HWRCs must only be undertaken if your waste or recycling cannot be stored at home without causing risk of injury, health or harm, and cannot be disposed of safely by other means. If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.

Social distancing measures mean staff cannot provide assistance, so please make sure you are able to unload your waste unaided. If you are able, take additional measures to protect yourself and others such as using gloves and have sanitary wipes to use in your vehicle.