Bins Update - all collections this week
UPDATED DECEMBER 6
Biffa have informed Wirral Council that they have been unable to reach an agreement with trade unions representing their workforce and planned industrial action beginning on Monday 5th December is now going ahead.
This will affect all services provided by Biffa under their contract with Wirral Council for six days from Monday 5th December until 23.59pm on Saturday 10th December, meaning there will be no household bin collections, bulk bin collection (including from schools), bulky waste collections, street cleaning or emptying of public litter bins.
To help mitigate the disruption, residents are being asked where possible to keep hold of their waste until the next scheduled collection date. Alternatively, residents can take both bagged general rubbish and loose recycling to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre (the tip).
There are three household waste recycling centres in Wirral - Bidston, Clatterbridge and West Kirby. Details of opening times, permits and items accepted at the Household Waste recycling centre are available from the MRWA website https://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/find-a-local-recycling-centre/
Any scheduled garden waste collection missed as a result of the industrial action will be re-scheduled in January before the service resumes after the winter break.
Residents who had booked a bulky waste collection will be contacted to have their collection rearranged to a date after December 10th.
Street cleansing activities are unlikely to take place and council officers will be monitoring litter bins and rubbish build up across the borough.
FAQs
Q. What to do if I am due a green bin collection week commencing 5 December?
Residents who would normally have their green general waste bin collected week commencing 5 December will have their green bin collected the following week, (starting 12 December) instead of their grey recycling bin.
Their green bin will then be collected again on week commencing 19 December and the usual collection routine then continues.
Q. What to do if I am due a grey bin collection week commencing 5 December?
Those residents who would normally have their grey recycling bin collected week commencing 5 December should hold on to this waste until their next recycling collection (grey bin) day or take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
Q: When collections restart can I put out additional bagged rubbish or recycling?
Collection crews are unable to take additional recycling or garden waste, please keep this until your next collection day or take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre. No side waste will be collected with your green (general waste bin). Please make sure that your rubbish is contained within the wheelie bin.
We are making plans to ensure that those properties not receiving a green bin (general rubbish) collection during the strike action will receive a green bin collection the following week, instead of a grey bin (recycling) collection. This will mean that those properties do not receive a grey bin (recycling) collection for 4 weeks, but general rubbish collections are a priority due to food or other waste that could be a hazard to health if left uncollected for a prolonged period.
Q: My brown garden waste bin should be collected week commencing 5 December, when will it be collected?
Customers who should have a garden waste collection this week (5 December-9 December), which is the last collection before the service pauses for winter, won't lose a collection from their subscription. The service will still pause for winter from 12 December to 9 January, but a collection will be made the week of Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 January before normal collections resume. Residents should put their bins out for collection on their usual collection day from Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Q: My bin was missed on Thursday 1 December or Friday 2 December what should I do?
If a bin was missed last week (Thursday or Friday) and no return collection was made, unfortunately those customers will have to wait until service resumes (currently Monday 12 December). When collections restart, green general waste bins will be prioritised.
Q: Where are the Recycling Centres?
There are three household waste recycling centres in Wirral - Bidston, Clatterbridge and West Kirby. Details of opening times and items accepted at the Household Waste recycling centre are available from the MRWA website.
Q: My bin is full and I can not get to the HWRC?
We aren’t able to provide a collection for your rubbish during the week of industrial action. Please store your waste as best as possible until the collections resume on the 12 December. We will collect green bins as a priority that week, even if it should be a grey bin collection for you.
Q: I am due a bulky waste (ERIC) collection, will this still take place?
Residents who had booked a bulky waste collection have been contacted to have their collection rearranged to a date after December 10th. If the new date offered is not suitable, residents can amend their booking online or by calling Streetscene on 0151 606 2004, or can cancel the booking for a refund.
Q: When will street litter bins be emptied?
Council Area Environmental Officers are monitoring litter bins, so that we can direct Biffa Street Cleansing operations to those areas most in need and in descending priority, once the service resumes. The usual Sunday street cleansing presence will be out on the 11 December and they will be focusing on those areas of highest priority from Sunday.
Q: Could more strikes take place?
A: The current industrial action is only from Monday 5 December to Saturday 10 December. Biffa staff would have to ballot for any further strike action and advance notice would be provided to the council and residents if further action was proposed.
