PEMBROKESHIRE’S six Waste and Recycling Centres (WRCs) are set to re-open on Tuesday, May 26, for essential use only and under strict new guidelines.
All visitors will have to pre-book a slot and follow a number of restrictions and guidelines to ensure that social distancing is observed.
This is to make sure that the facilities are used in a safe manner for staff and the public while remaining fair for all households in Pembrokeshire.
The booking system will open from 9 am, Wednesday, May 20.
People are asked to book online if possible and only phone the contact centre if they do not have internet access.
Initially the first two weeks of slots will be opened and this will continue on a two-weekly rolling basis.
Over 6,300 slots per week will be available initially across all sites and we will work to improve this number while ensuring the sites can operate in a safe manner for staff and the public
Please see the new guidelines for Waste and Recycling Centres below:
• Do not visit a WRC if you or anyone in your household has Covid-19 symptoms – you will not be permitted on site.
• Anyone shielding must not put themselves at risk by visiting the WRCs. The same applies to other vulnerable people.
• WRCs will be open to Pembrokeshire householders only. Initially no commercial users will be allowed on site and are asked to use private waste disposal companies at this time.
• Only bring items that can’t be stored safely at home or cannot be collected through your kerbside waste and recycling collections
• Only cars and small vans will be permitted on site - no high sided vehicles, large vans (i.e. transits or equivalent) or trailers at this time.
• Only households who have a pre-booked a 15 minute slot will be permitted on site. Anyone who hasn’t booked a slot will be turned away.
• Slots will need to be booked at least 48 hours in advance.
• Only ONE visit per household to any site within a 14-day period to enable more households to access the facilities.
• There will be a strict 15-minute slot per vehicle to dispose of items in the correct containers. Therefore please sort all waste and recycling into the different material types before arriving at the site to help keep your visit short.
• Vehicles should arrive no more than 15 minutes before their booked time slot (to avoid traffic queues on the highway).
• Please display ID (eg driving licence / utility bill) in the windscreen for staff to view and verify the booking.
• A maximum of five vehicles will be allowed on a site at any one time (staff will monitor this). This number will be kept under review.
• Only one person may exit the vehicle to unload the waste and recycling. Staff are unable to help unload or carry any items, therefore householders need to ensure that this person is able to safely unload items from the vehicle and place them in the correct container.
• Strict social distancing rules will be in place at all times. Householders must observe two-metre social distancing on the site and only one user will be able to access each skip or container at a time.
• The centres are currently unable to accept tyres. Please store them at home safely until this service resumes.
• Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before and after visiting the site.
• Please be patient and follow instructions on site. For the benefit and welfare of everyone, any users not following instructions or abusive to staff will be instructed to leave the site and further action taken if necessary.
County Councillor Cris Tomos, cabinet member for the environment, said: “People must feel confident and safe if they have to visit our sites.
“That is why we are restricting numbers and are asking people only to visit if absolutely necessary. Please think carefully before deciding to visit one of our Waste and Recycling Centres.
“All of us must do our bit to help continue to reduce and slow the spread of coronavirus.”
He added that the re-opening of WRCs is in response to changes to Welsh Government (WG) regulations and that Pembrokeshire had worked closely with WG and other local authorities on the new guidelines.
WRCs will be re-opening under normal summer opening hours, namely opening seven days a week.
• If you don’t have internet access, please phone the Pembrokeshire County Council’s contact centre on 01437 764551.
• For the latest information visit the council’s website: pembrokeshire.gov.uk/coronavirus
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