30 March 2020
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
All of Cork County Council’s Civic Amenity Sites will reopen tomorrow.
In a statement yesterday the Council had closed the sites, stating:
“…Customers are requested to store recyclable materials at home until the movement restrictions are lifted and Cork County Council can return to a full service offering…”
In this era of social distancing the Council had noted that:
“Following the Government’s announcement on Friday March 27th in relation to public health measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid 19, citizens have been asked to stay at home and to only go beyond this for limited purposes, such as shopping for food and medical supplies together with the provision of essential services.
Civic Amenity Sites had not been specifically listed as an essential service and would generally require customers to travel more than the restricted two kilometres.”
However, Cork County Council has since reviewed this matter and will reopen all the Council’s Civic Amenity Sites from tomorrow Tuesday March 31st.
A scaled back service will be in operation:
- Service will be provided only for acceptance of essential waste, to discourage unnecessary journeys in compliance with the National Public Health Protection Guidelines.
- The Civic Amenity Sites will accept normal domestic waste only. This includes black bag waste for disposal, limited to three bags maximum per customer along with domestic bottles and cans for recycling.
- Black bag waste for disposal should have the bag tied securely and then placed into a second bag and tied before arrival at the Civic Amenity Site.
- No commercial vehicles or trailers will be allowed access.
- Only one person per vehicle can enter the site.
- All customers must place the waste into the receptacles themselves. Civic Amenity operatives will not be able to assist.
- Payment for black bag waste will be on a price of €4.00 per bag. Weighing will not be possible as it increases the handling required.
- Physical distancing of a minimum 2m must be observed by all customers.
- As the sites will not be accepting garden waste, timber and metal waste, bulky items, WEEE, oils or paints etc, the normal €3.00 entry charge will be waived for the period of the current health protection measures being in place.
- Customers are requested to bring the exact payment for the waste that they are bringing to site.
Cork County Council asks all service users to be mindful of these conditions and comply with the National Public Health Protection Guidelines. Stay safe and follow HSE advise.
Meanwhile, private weekly refuse collection from County Clean Recycling continues.