South Lanarkshire Council have completed four months’ worth of uplifts in the space of four weeks as the local authority cracks down on the backlog.
More than 13,000 special uplifts were made from homes since the service restarted on Septmeber 14.
Up to two uplifts are free of charge when booked within the initital five-week period which ends this Friday, October 16. At that point, the normal charging structure for special uplifts will be re-introduced.
Uplifts were restricted during lockdown causing a pent-up demandm but SLC confirmed about a third of the usual annual number was completed in just four weeks.
In addition, 4546 requests were made for replacement food bin liners on October 1 alone, the first day they were made available for ordering again.
Michael McGlynn, executive director of Community and Enterprise Resources, said: “Of course we realised that there would be a pent-up demand as services were able to restart following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, especially from households who wanted special uplifts.
“That is why we made special arrangements for a five-week blitz of this area of demand, and fly-tipping. I want to thank the staff for their hard work in making this such a success. I also want to thank the vast majority of residents who stored their waste safely until we could restart the service.”
Up to two uplifts are free of charge when booked within the initital five-week period. Mr McGlynn however advised there may still be delays.
Some uplifts had not been possible to collect because the items are not as described or directions for safe presentation had not been followed. You can help the council deliver the service by following the guidance on the special bulk uplifts page on their website.
Residents are reminded that council staff will not be able to enter homes at the moment to assist with the removal of waste.
As well as ordering special uplifts, residents can take waste to the six Household Waste Recycling Centre sites in South Lanarkshire, which reopened on June 1. The recycling centres can now accept all items of waste as they did prior to lockdown.
Food bin liner deliveries began again this week and SLC will also start taking orders for recycling bins from October 26 – however they are expecting high demand for those.
