Waste crews are seeing a surge in the amount of cardboard put out for collection – as homeowners under lockdown choose to shop online.
North Somerset Council says it has seen a ‘significant’ increase in the amount of thick brown cardboard which is used for the packaging of parcels delivered to the door.
More and more people are moving their shopping habits online due to the UK wide lockdown put in place by the Government to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Additional crews, using staff from council contractors Glendale, have been tasked in a bid to keep up with the collections, provided as part of the authority’s kerbside recycling service.
A council spokesman said: “There has been a big increase in the thicker brown cardboard (OCC) which is used for packaging of parcels/computers/amazon deliveries.
“This is thick and fills the vehicles up quickly. It is also difficult to compact in the vehicles.
“We are being supported by Glendale with the collection of cardboard. They have been providing two to three support crews per day using caged transit vehicles.
“The increase in tonnage is difficult to know at the moment but is significant.”
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Authority chiefs are urging householders to help waste and recycling crews on their rounds by breaking down cardboard so it fits in the box ready for collection.
Large boxes just left out on the kerbside may not be collected.
The spokesman added: “Crews are working really hard at the moment and residents can help by breaking their cardboard down so it fits in the box.
“Please don’t put out full large boxes as the crew don’t have time to break these down and they will be left.
'This speeds up collection'
“Anyone with an excess of cardboard should store it and put out over following collections.”
The authority is also urging people to sort out their recycling boxes ready for collection.
The spokesman added; “We are asking people to sort their recycling boxes.
“This speeds up collection and only takes the crews 20 seconds to empty rather than two minutes for a jumbled up box.”
For more information visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/waste/about-your-bins/recycling/
