Somerset Council has announced temporary changes to waste and recycling services today (Wednesday) and Thursday (24–25th June) as crews work through a period of exceptional heat under a red heat alert.
All 16 of Somerset’s recycling sites, operated by Biffa, will close to the public from midday on both days. The council says “the early closures will help protect staff working in physically demanding conditions and discourage residents from undertaking strenuous lifting or sorting tasks during peak heat.”
Collections operated by SUEZ will also run from 6am until midday on both days, with no rounds taking place after lunchtime. Any recycling not collected on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon will not be returned for, and residents are asked to take it back in and present it again on their next scheduled recycling day.
Rubbish and garden waste collections that cannot be completed will take place on Saturday, while any delayed clinical or bulky waste collections will be finished later in the week, including Saturday, with only minimal disruption expected. Residents are being urged to put their recycling, rubbish and garden waste out the night before, or by 6am at the latest.
Cllr Federica Smith‑Roberts, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Environment and Climate Change, says the decision has been taken with safety in mind. She explained that waste and recycling work is “physically demanding” and that closing sites during the hottest hours is a sensible step. She thanked residents for their patience and urged them to “put waste out early, keep an eye on Somerset Council’s channels for updates, and only visit recycling sites during opening hours.”
With temperatures soaring, the council has also issued advice to help households manage food waste more easily. Keeping bin lids closed, storing containers in shaded areas, lining caddies with newspaper or compostable liners, cleaning them regularly, and freezing food waste until collection day can all help reduce smells and pests.
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