New guidance for waste disposal during outbreak

Liverpool City Council has issued new guidance on how to dispose of some types of waste items during the coronavirus outbreak.

Following government guidance, any household where there is someone with coronavirus symptoms is now asked to dispose of their waste differently to help limit the spread of the virus.

Personal waste, such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths, should now be dealt with as follows:

  • Store in a tied bag
  • Place first bag inside a second bag
  • Keep the bag separate from other rubbish for 72 hours (three days)
  • Place in your purple bin as usual after 72 hours.

These small steps will help to protect Liverpool Streetscene Services Ltd (LSSL) staff when they are collecting refuse.

Other household waste can be disposed of as normal, making sure bins (or bags/boxes) are at collection points by 6.45am.

LSSL continues to collect purple (waste) and blue (recycling) wheelie bins – and for those without wheelie bins – black bin sacks/recycling boxes – as normal.

However, the council’s green garden waste service is currently suspended and all Merseyside’s Recycling Centres are closed until further notice.

Also, the council’s large-item collection service Bulky Bob’s has been suspended. Residents should hold on to items and keep them off the public highway until the service re-opens.

Mike Brown, chief operating officer, Liverpool Streetscene Services Ltd, said: “We have two priorities at the moment: keeping our services running and keeping our staff safe and well.

“To do this we are asking households where there is someone who has coronavirus symptoms to dispose of their waste carefully and not to put it into their bin until three days have passed. This is to limit, as far as possible, the risk of spreading the infection.

“The safer we can keep our staff, the more likely we are to be able to keep running a normal service, and we need residents’ help to do that.”

Liverpool Waterfront