Covid-19: Stoke-on-Trent garden waste collections suspended as staff self-isolate

The suspension is due to bin workers having to self-isolate in Stoke-on-Trent, the city council said

Garden waste collections will be suspended from Monday for a week in Stoke-on-Trent due to staff having to self-isolate.

The city council said it hoped the move would be temporary until 6 August.

Bin collections across England have been suspended at times because of staff being "pinged" by the NHS Test and Trace app.

Household rubbish and recycling waste will be collected as normal in Stoke-on-Trent.

Residents affected by the loss of the garden waste collections have been told to put their bins out for the next fortnightly round from 16 August.

The council said household rubbish bins can be used for some garden rubbish including grass cuttings and hedge trimmings.

Garden waste collections have been disrupted by the same issue in Stoke-on-Trent in July but the service was not officially suspended at the time.

Leader Abi Brown said the decision had "not been taken lightly" and the authority would try to minimise the impact.

Bin collection issues have been reported in dozens of council areas, including Coventry and Solihull.

Some councils have said they were unsure when services would return to normal.

The Local Government Association said that if Covid rates increased further, many would have to prioritise services that protected the most vulnerable.