Coronavirus: Councils keen to reopen tips but say police will need to manage queues
Ministers want them to reopen "as soon as possible", but local authorities say a number of issues need to be addressed first.
Friday 1 May 2020 12:35, UK
Councils are keen to reopen tips as soon as possible but police will need to manage the queues when they do, the Local Government Association has said.
The government has confirmed that some will reopen this weekend, with Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick saying he hopes more will follow in the weeks to come.
But the LGA, which represents local authorities in England, said a number of issues need to be addressed.
These include ensuring there is sufficient staffing, providing enough protective equipment for workers, and co-ordinating the presence of police officers to "manage inevitable traffic queues at the sites".
The LGA also said ministers need to provide "clear and explicit guidance" that visiting tips is permissible under the coronavirus lockdown guidelines.
It comes after Mr Jenrick earlier told the BBC that it was "perfectly legal" for people to visit tips that are open.
"There is no reason why you cannot travel to a tip to put household waste there or do recycling," Mr Jenrick said.
"Councils should have the confidence to reopen them as soon as possible."
He said that because of high demand, many local authorities may decide to reopen their sites in a "staged" manner, adding this was the "sensible" thing to do.
"The longer we delay it, the longer those queues are going to be when the waste sites reopen," Mr Jenrick added.
Under the current laws and guidance, people can take their waste to a tip that is open, but only if their journey is "essential", that is if the build-up of waste in their home poses a risk of injury or to health.
Mr Jenrick has said the government will be issuing new guidance "shortly" that will support councils in reopening tips and doing so "in line with social distancing guidelines".
A Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson told Sky News: "We are working closely with local authorities and the waste industry to see how we can re-open these sites in the coming weeks, to make sure waste collections are prioritised appropriately and that all parts of the waste system continue to run as smoothly as possible.
"Local authorities should maintain black bag collections and prevent waste from building up to protect the environment and public health."
Councillor David Renard, the LGA's environment spokesman, said councils are "keen to open them [tips] as soon as practicable".
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But he added: "For sites to reopen, the government needs to provide clear and explicit guidance to residents that going to a HWRC [household waste and recycling centre] is compatible with its directive on essential travel.
"HWRCs can only reopen when they have sufficient staffing and social distancing measures are in place to protect staff and members of the public, which remains paramount.
"To safely manage visitor flow and pent-up demand, the police will need to manage inevitable traffic queues at the sites, with consideration needing to be given to whether supportive measures, such as a permit system and longer opening hours might be needed.
"Crucially, for HWRCs to reopen, waste staff must be given personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of infection and to provide reassurance."
Cllr Renard continued: "We are keen to work with the government on resolving these issues so that councils can reopen HWRCs safely and with confidence."