Almost half of councils have plans to reopen their Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) within the next two weeks, according to the latest Covid-19 local authority impacts survey, while recycling collections have experienced a slight increase in disruption.

The government has stated that there is ‘no reason in law’ why Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) shouldn’t be open and has yet again urged local authorities to reopen sites, issuing guidance on how to do so safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Local authority networks have released a guidance document on reopening Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

The Environment Agency (EA) has released two further Covid-19 regulatory position statements (RPS) for waste operators concerning the temporary storage of waste at unpermitted sites and the temporary storage of incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA) during the crisis.

A number of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Greater Manchester are to reopen from this weekend (2 May) with some restrictions and social distancing measures in place.

Garden and bulky waste services remain disrupted and more Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) close while core collections services continue to be maintained, according to the latest Covid-19 local authority impacts survey.

The consultation period for the Plastic Packaging Tax has been extended by three months due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has said that local authorities will be asked to “plan the organised opening” of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in the coming weeks.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to “explore the potential for further support” for the waste and resources sector as it rolls out a Covid-19 impacts survey.

Frontline waste workers in England and their families will now be able to access Covid-19 testing if they display symptoms as the government seeks greater certainty over who has the virus.