Londoners are again being asked to avoid kicking unwanted bulky items like mattresses and couches to the curb for garbage pickup until after the threat of COVID-19 has passed.
City officials reiterated the request this week to better protect waste collection workers during the pandemic. While the three container garbage exemption will go ahead this month into May, Londoners are also being told to be mindful of how much waste they are leaving curbside.
"Collecting extra containers and other items has its challenges during COVID-19, and it is our hope that Londoners will only use the three container exemption when necessary," Jay Stanford, the city's director of solid waste management, said in a statement. "Please be kind and considerate to collectors when placing waste to the curb, and don’t throw out what you don’t have to right now especially bulky waste."
Stanford recommends storing large unwanted items on your property for as long as possible during the pandemic as those items require extra time for collectors to safely remove. People should also hang on to renovation materials such as drywall, wood, and scrap metal for an extended period before taking to the city's EnviroDepot.
London’s Household Special Waste Depot remains temporarily closed. Until it reopens, residents are reminded not to throw batteries, paint, or other hazardous materials in the garbage but to hold onto these items until proper disposal can resume.
In order to keep the city's waste collectors safe, Londoners are reminded to put all tissues and napkins in sealed bags before placing them in garbage bags. It is also important to respect physical distancing measures with waste collectors and not approach garbage trucks, said Stanford.
