Council rubbish tips and recycling centres could soon be re-opened following an order from a government minister.
The dumps have been closed for several weeks in an effort to contain the Covid-19 virus, leading to an outbreak of fly-tipping across the UK.
In response, communities minister Robert Jenrick has now demanded dumps and recycling centres are opened again, reports the DailyStarOnline.
Speaking to MPs, he said: “Our binmen and women have done a fantastic job maintaining the vast majority of collections.
“The government published advice to councils on how to ensure the safety of refuse collections on April 7 and I am announcing that I’m asking councils to plan the organised reopening of household waste collection sites.
“I expect this to happen over the coming weeks and will be publishing amended guidance shortly.”
Many councils shut their household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) as the lockdown took hold in order to focus on refuse collections from homes and to ensure social distancing measures could be adhered to.
A number of local authorities have also cut back on some collection services such as bulky items and garden waste pick-ups to ensure they can continue to collect “black bag” rubbish amid staff shortages.
The majority said reopening dumps, so they can be safely operated, will take somewhere between one to three weeks.
A survey of dozens of local authorities by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK found most are not confident they can manage demand to ensure social distancing and avoid traffic congestion at their tips.
Concerns have been raised in some areas about pressure on collections and an increase in fly-tipping as households produce more waste, including from spring cleaning clear-outs, DIY and garden work while stuck at home.
