Kerbside bin collection workers in the ACT are to work split shifts to minimise the risk of transmission between staff during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Minister for Recycling and Waste Reduction, Chris Steel said the first shift for residential waste removal workers would now start at 5am, allowing a longer break in time before the second shift got underway.
“The split shift implemented by Suez, with one shift starting earlier, and the other later, is helping to minimise the risk of transmission between staff interacting all at once before and after shifts,” Mr Steel said.
“Suez is undertaking precautionary measures to minimise the health risks to staff and help to ensure that essential waste and recycling collection services continue,” he said.
“We recommend that ACT households put their bins out the night before collection to ensure they can be picked up very early the next day.”
Mr Steel said that while the earlier collection time may cause disruption to Canberrans’ routines, it was important that waste contractors had safeguards in place to ensure they could continue to work during the pandemic.
“I want to thank Suez staff involved for their work through this period, including working earlier than usual to deliver city services for Canberra,” Mr Steel said.
“We’ve ensured that the new bin collection times have been approved by the ACT Environment Protection Authority regarding noise impacts.”
Mr Steel said there would be no change to the shift start times of green bin collections, which will remain at 7am.
“The ACT’s waste and recycling drop-off facilities including the Container Deposit Scheme return points, resource management centres and recycling drop off centres are operating as normal,” Mr Steel said.
