Bin strike update – 4pm on Friday 7 July

GMB members who work for our waste contractor Canenco embarked on their third day of strike action early this morning.

We are very sorry about the ongoing disruption to some residents’ bin collections. We recognise it is frustrating and causes a great deal of inconvenience.

Canenco put a number of contingencies in place which meant those crews willing to work completed 54% of today’s black bin collections.

Clinical and bulky waste collections have been underway and are up to date.

Street cleansing and grounds maintenance crews have continued with their work cleaning roads and pavements and emptying litter bins.

If your bin has not been collected after 24 hours, please take it back in and wait for your next scheduled collection.

At your next collection, if you have missed out on household waste, you will be able to put out ‘side waste’ – ie general rubbish in black bags – on Wednesday 19 July, Thursday 20 July and Friday 21 July whichever is your collection day.

If you missed out on recycling, you will be able to put out extra recycling in a suitable container (not in bin bags) on Wednesday 19 July, Thursday 20 July and Friday 21 July whichever is your collection day.

This is a one-off arrangement only and we cannot accept side waste for garden collections.

Your support in helping with this will be really appreciated.

If it is refuse week, firstly, please try and squash the rubbish down in your bin as far as you can to get as much in there as possible.

If you then need to put side waste out, please double black bag it, make sure it is not too heavy for crews to pick up, and try to put it out in the morning rather than overnight if you can, to prevent foxes and gulls getting to it.

If it is recycling week, please try and bundle up paper and card rather than keep it loose, and prioritise glass in your blue bin.

Work continues to try and resolve this dispute so collections can resume.

It is a fluid situation and further strike action may continue next week. We will continue to provide updates.

If you are able to access Kent County Council’s Household Waste Recycling Centres and can take your waste there, information about booking a slot is on KCC’s website at http://www.kent.gov.uk/…/household…/visiting-a-hwrc

Published: 7 July 2023