Commercial waste collections are still experiencing high levels of disruption, according to the latest ADEPT survey.
The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) has published the findings from its 12th waste impacts survey, designed in partnership with key local authority network groups.
Working alongside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO), ADEPT is monitoring the continuing impacts of Covid-19 on waste services across England.
This survey covers the week beginning 22 June, with 90% of responding local authorities showing core waste collection and disposal services are stable, but still with minor disruption to residual and recycling collections for the remainder.
Although there are still minor and moderate levels of disruption to HWRCs, mostly caused by the need for social distancing, no local authorities are reporting the service not being available in their area
Food, bulky waste collections and street sweepings services are stable at similar levels to the last survey. Commercial waste collections are still experiencing high levels of disruption.
For landfill, energy from waste, mechanical biological treatment, in-vessel composting, anaerobic digestion, open windrow composting and transfer station operations, the trend continues to be stable levels of low and reducing levels of disruption. Materials recovery facility operations are reporting a slightly lower level of disruption at 14% of councils.
75% of responding local authorities are reporting minor or moderate levels of disruption to their Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).
21% of councils reported no impact to operational staffing levels which is five times higher than when the surveys began in March. 73% reported a less than 20% reduction in staffing levels with only 4% reporting 20-40% reduction in staffing levels.
Speaking on behalf of these key networks Lee Marshall, LARAC’s Chief Executive Officer said: “We are seeing a stabilisation of waste services across local authorities. Although there are still minor and moderate levels of disruption to HWRCs, mostly caused by the need for social distancing, no local authorities are reporting the service not being available in their area.”