Great Yarmouth Borough Council soon to resume garden waste collections

The brown bins scheme was postponed temporarily on March 30 in order to allow crews to prioritise collections of black/grey general rubbish bins, green recycling bins and clinical waste.

Garden waste collection is an opt-in paid-for scheme, so customers' subscriptions have been extended to account for the loss of collections. In addition, on this one occasion, customers can leave out excess garden waste for collection alongside their brown bin, providing there are no large branches and it is presented in a plastic bucket, dust-bin or other rigid container that crews can lift and tip. Garden waste in bags cannot be accepted as this will contaminate the load.

If you are leaving out additional garden waste for collection, alongside your full brown bin, please do not present it in one of your other coloured wheelie bins. Using your black/grey or green bin to present excess garden waste does risk cross-contamination between waste streams and will result in your excess waste being left.

All residents are also reminded that garden waste must not be placed in general waste bins, especially as crews are already handling more domestic waste as a result of people staying at home. Black or grey bins found to contain garden waste will not be collected until it is removed.

Cllr Penny Carpenter, chairman of the environment committee, said: "While we are not operating business as usual again, and we continue to keep everything under review, I am pleased that staffing levels at the depot are such that we are able to re-start garden waste collections and collect customers' excess garden waste providing it is presented correctly.

"I'm sure this will be welcome news for the many residents staying sensibly at home, who have taken advantage of the good weather to do a spot of gardening. There does remain the risk that circumstances could again change during these uncertain times, so garden waste collections may be subject to suspension in future in order to maintain our essential refuse collection services. Should that happen, we will again look to advise customers in advance.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the key staff who are keeping essential services going, including our waste operatives at GYB Services, and to thank the public for their continued understanding and patience in these exceptional circumstances."