From Cllr Simon Walsh, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change Action.

“MAY I, through your paper, thank the people of Essex for their patience whilst we got ready to reopen the county’s recycling centres. A good deal of work was needed to ensure social distancing could safely be achieved. This involved marking out the parking bays, painting footprints on the ground to indicate where users can stand when depositing their waste, and a thousand extra information signs.

“We have worked closely with County Highways and Essex Police who have helped us manage the queues outside. Reports coming back to me have been very positive, with users and staff saying its is generally all going well, despite being very busy; to show one user’s appreciation, they presented site staff with ice creams during a very hot day!

“As expected, we have experienced many users turning up as they use this opportunity to get rid of their accumulated waste. I would urge, if you are able, to wait a little while longer as the sites will become less busy, and this will make your visit a better experience for you. If you can dispose of your rubbish using the kerbside collections, then please do so, and only consider using the recycling centre if the waste you have is becoming hazardous or is a safety issue.”

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Simon Walsh
Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change Action
Essex County Council