With soaring temperatures across the Island, residents are being asked to spare a thought for the hard-working waste collectors.
A Level 4 heat warning has been issued by IW Met Service as temperatures are predicted to hit 30c over the coming days and the Isle of Wight Council is asking for residents’ understanding if waste collections are slower than usual as crews pace themselves and take the time they need to stay hydrated.
Amey, the council’s waste contractor, is making sure there are plenty of chilled water bottles, sun cream and hats and even ice lollies on hand to keep their teams as cool as possible through the extreme heat.
The council is also reminding residents and visitors about the dangers of putting hot disposable barbecues and used coals in with their rubbish.
It’s essential that people ensure barbecues are extinguished before disposing of these to prevent fire. These fires can often have enormous consequences, damaging collection vehicles, and risking the lives of refuse workers.
To avoid accidental fires, drench ashes with water or let them cool completely for at least 48 hours and never put hot ash or part-burned materials from domestic or garden fires or barbecues or put used portable barbecues in the bin before they are completely cooled.
Residents are also asked to store any used batteries in a cool/dry place inside their home and only place them (in a clear sandwich bag) out on the day of their household waste collection, on top of their black bin or sack.
Natasha Dix, strategic manager for environment, said:
“Heatwave conditions make what is already a physically tough job even more demanding for the waste and recycling crews.
“As a responsible employer, Amey is making sure its people have everything they need, but we hope that residents will understand, as I’m sure they do, if their bins are collected a little later than usual given the need for crews to pace themselves safely.”
Councillor Karen Lucioni, Cabinet member for waste, added:
“We would like to thank the crews for the hard work they do in keeping our beautiful Biosphere Island tidy, come rain or shine and even more so during the current period of soaring temperatures.
“All our key workers, who do such wonderful work to keep us safe and keep the Island going, deserve our thanks and appreciation.”
Isle of Wight Council is asking for residents’ understanding if waste collections are slower than usual as crews pace themselves and take the time they need to stay hydrated.
However, cafe, bar, hotel, nursing, doctors, police, ferry staff, security, shopworkers, restaurant, fast food staff etc are all expected to work at normal pace, regardless and if they aren’t – people moan that no one is there to serve them drinks, ice creams and food in the searing heat from the kitchens etc.
just get on with the job, like the rest of us have to and stop making excuses.
This article has given you something else to moan about, so if it has made you happy it’s been worth it.
Thank you Island Echo for giving him his daily fix.
While I understand it is a very difficult job in your current climate(I know afew of the crew on the Island)
I Live in Cyprus… has anyone thought about doing refuse collections at night? We are used to far higher heat than you guys are getting,yet we get our refuse collected TWICE a week!! Because they do nightshifts where the temp is far cooler.This goes on here from May to October….While I understand you wont have this heat for long…maybe something for the management to think about
Spot on. And we, as a nation, think we are ahead of others. Ha ha.
Good idea, Wight Fibre have already put this into practice over the past week in Ventnor working between 7 to 11 pm digging holes etc.
Yes, but people are already on here moaning because the bin men might be taking a few sips of water and the bins might be emptied a bit later than normal. Imagine their outrage if you told them they would be getting their bins emptied during the night in the summer months!
Thanks to all refuse collectors and thinking of you in this VERY hot weather. It must be horrendous so thank you for your work
If they think it’s difficult now, you just wait until PF has been built.
Most people in the jobs you’ve mentioned have time to get plenty of water, bin men have to stop to drink, they’re also in direct sun for most of their shift, give it a try sometime
and what are they doing when driving between the stops, apart from sitting in the truck – plenty of time to get some water then – stop making excuses – everyone else manages
When they’re working in the towns it’s only the driver in the cab, the rest of the crew are out on the street lining up bins, loading bins and replacing them. But, of course you knew that already.
Does it really matter to you whether your bin is emptied at 9am or 10am? No, it doesn’t.
so, those ferry, train and bus staff that are out in all weathers don’t count then – poor little darlings wheeling bins to the back of a truck that automatically picks them up. And back in 1976 when the drought and hottest summer was around, the bins were manually picked up each week and carried to the dustcart, emptied by hand and then put back on the property – they didn’t miss a day or whinge about it being too hot -but then again, those days, men were men.
And theres silly me thinking that they spent most of the time on strike.
A hot sweaty dirty job but essential for public health. What would we do without them? Take your time lads & if our bins arent emptied immediately I think we can cope
Imagine, having to work outside in the summer! What next, hot water bottles in winter?