Industrial action by members of the Unite union is due to start on Wednesday 12 July, striking on Wednesday, Thursday Friday, each week for the four weeks from Wednesday 12 July to Friday 4 August.
The council and its collections contractor Suez UK will redeploy staff to try and limit the damage but expect many missed collections of recycling, refuse and garden waste will be unavoidable.
A dedicated web page www.somerset.gov.uk/strike is the best place for the latest updates on strike action and advice on how to manage when your collections are missed.
Residents are asked to:
- Put waste out on the usual day but expect missed collections.
- Put it out before 7am, even if your collection is usually later.
- If recycling or garden waste is missed, bring it back in until your next collection day. Don’t report it.
- If refuse or clinical is missed, leave it out and report it as missed, online if possible.
From 17 July onwards crews will accept one additional black sack of refuse at the side of the bin.
Extra recycling will also be accepted, if presented as below:
- Plastics and cans in an open bag, like a bag for life, or a carboard box.
- Glass needs to stay in your recycling box.
- Cardboard folded and placed next to your recycling box, please keep to a minimum.
- Food waste must stay in your food waste bin, but as a last resort can be double-bag and put it in your refuse bin.
There will be extra possible collection days for people whose recycling is missed in the first week of the strike:
- If recycling is missed on Wednesday 12 July, put it out again on Monday 17 July.
- If recycling is missed on Thursday 13 July, put it out again on Tuesday 18 July.
- If recycling is missed on Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July put it out again on Monday 24 July.
All 16 of Somerset’s recycling sites will be open as usual and can take almost all the materials collected at the kerbside, as well as refuse as a last resort.