Brown garden waste bin collections have been suspended until further notice due to the developing COVID-19 situation. 

A reduction in bin collection staff has resulted in not enough people to carry out garden waste collections, without disrupting green general waste and grey recycling collections.

The announcement is part of Wirral Council’s waste contingency plan announced on March 20, to ensure green general waste bins and waste that could be hazardous to health continue to be collected.

Biffa, Wirral’s waste collection contractor, have already trained and redeployed many of their street cleansing staff to carry out waste collection duties, but the council says that they have already reached a point where this will not be enough and staff will be needed to be pulled over from the garden waste crews.

Once collections resume, current subscribers to the garden waste collection service will receive at least five collections prior to having to subscribe again to make up for missed collections between now and the end of the current subscription period on May 31.

Wirral Council says that it isn’t the first council in Merseyside to suspend garden waste subscriptions to prioritise general waste and recycling collections, with Liverpool and St Helens having already done so. 

Despite the suspension of garden waste collections, residents are being urged to dispose of garden waste responsibly, with composting the preferred and most environmentally friendly method. 

The council is also asking residents not to burn or fly tip their garden waste to avoid an unnecessary burden on services.

Wirral Council and Mersey Fire and Rescue said: “Responding to deliberately-set fires can endanger lives by taking vital firefighting resources away from other emergencies – and deliberate fires could even lead to fatalities themselves.

“Residents near a fire could be recovering from the effects of COVID-19 and in line with government advice, are keeping their windows open. Smoke from bonfires or other sources can be distressing in these circumstances and may hamper recovery or worsen symptoms.

“Likewise, please do not fly tip your garden waste – the council does not have the resources available to clean it up currently. Plus, it’s illegal, meaning you may be liable to prosecution.”

Strict guidance has also been issued by the council to help protect residents and bin collection crews from exposure to COVID-19 while handling bins.