ADDITIONAL temporary waste drop-off sites will be created this week to give residents more opportunities to dispose of household waste not collected because of Unite the Union strike action.
Two new sites in Belhus and Blackshots are set to open today (Tuesday, 11 May) with plans for another new site in Orsett also being made. These are in addition to the five temporary sites which have been operational for the last three weeks. The new sites are:
- Car park at Impulse Leisure Belhus Park, Park Lane, South Ockendon, RM15 4PX,
Google Map – Impulse Leisure Belhus Park - Car park at Impulse Leisure Blackshots, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU,
Google Map – Impulse Leisure Blackshots
Existing sites which remain open are at:
- The former Yara Terminal site, London Road, Purfleet-on-Thames, RM19 1PA,
Google Map – former Yara Terminal site - The former Culver Centre site, Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon, RM15 5BX,
Google Map – former Culver Centre site - The former council depot site, Curzon Drive, Grays, RM17 6BQ,
Google Map – former council depot site - Units H and I, Hume Avenue, Tilbury, RM18 8YD,
Google Map – Units H and I, Hume Avenue - The former Billet site, Billet Lane, Stanford-le-Hope, SS17 0AR,
Google Map – former Billet site
All seven sites are open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday. The Culver Centre, Hume Avenue, and Billet Lane sites will also be open between 9am and 12pm on Saturday 15 May. The council will continue to review drop-off site provision and seek opportunities to add additional sites and hours of operation where possible.
Cllr Andrew Jefferies, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “These sites have been established temporarily as a result of the disruption to household collections caused by the strike action being taken by Unite the Union. They have been created to give residents an opportunity to get rid of the waste most likely to generate an odour. The sites will be closed as soon as collections can return to normal.
“Opening hours of the sites will be extended, including increased opening at the weekend, but we need to work within strict Environment Agency guidance.
“Waste collection teams are still out collecting waste from communal bin stores in flats and from residents who receive assisted collections because they cannot physically put their bins out themselves or at the drop-off sites. Trade waste collections are also continuing.
”We will continue to do all we can to mitigate the disruptive impact of the strike action for residents.”
The operation of the waste drop-off sites must be in line with strict Environment Agency guidelines and they cannot be left full due to the potential fire risk. Opening hours allow for the containers to be emptied overnight. The council is asking residents not to leave waste at these sites when they are closed to avoid creating a fire hazard and because it could be considered as fly-tipping. Piles of waste were left at the sites outside opening hours over the weekend which the council cleared.
Crews not taking part in the strike action have been out catching up on collections which did not take place as planned last week.
During the 10 and 28 May strike period residents who do not receive an assisted household waste collection and do not live in a property with a communal bin store should:
- not put any bins out for collection
- use waste drop-off points to dispose of the most unpleasant waste, including food waste and smaller items of garden waste
- rinse out and compress recycling as much as possible in the blue recycling bin to ensure recycling waste is contained
More information about the waste drop-off sites can be found at: thurrock.gov.uk/bins-notice
