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While waste collections are continuing as normal despite the islands being placed into lockdown overnight, there are special measures in place for anyone who has, or is suspected of having covid-19, as the community is asked to work together to prevent it spreading further.
Any tissues which a patient has used, and any other rubbish which they have been in direct contact with, should be put inside a bag, tied up and then put inside another bin bag. You then have to keep that double-bagged waste until you know you don't have corona virus.
That is to try and protect our rubbish collectors and those who work at the Household Waste & Recycling Centre.
Public Health has provided specific advice and support to anyone who has tested positive, along with general advice for anyone who is self-isolating because they have potential symptoms – cough, fever, or shortness of breath.
They've all been told: “All waste that has been in contact with the individual, including used tissues, should be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied when full. The plastic bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied.
“Do not dispose of it or put it out for collection until you know that you or the person you are caring for does not have novel coronavirus, or until you have been in self-isolation for 14 days, symptom-free. Should you or a member of your household test positive, you will be instructed what to do with the waste.”
Pictured: The waste and recycling facilities at Longue Hougue have been heralded as a great success in infrastructure planning and public services since they opened last year. Now they are closed to the public amid the covid-19 outbreak.
All public waste and recycling sites are now closed under the lockdown measures imposed overnight, including the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue, and the Chouet green waste site. We're also being asked to not use the bring bank sites as that would not be considered an essential reason to leave your home.
The Longue Hougue Land Reclamation site and Mont Cuet will also be closed to commercial operators but Guernsey Waste staff will be responding to enquiries by phone on 231234 or you can email recycle@gov.gg.
Guernsey Waste Operations Manager Sarah Robinson said waste and recycling collections will otherwise continued unaffected, as that is an essential service across the Bailiwick.
“We would ask anyone who has tested positive for coronavirus, or is currently self-isolating because they have symptoms, to follow the advice that has been provided by Public Health.
“All other households should put out any materials on their normal collection night. It is possible some rounds may take slightly longer than usual to complete, so if any bags have not been collected by noon the following day, we would ask islanders to take these back in and await further advice.”
Bin stickers for general refuse collections in Guernsey are available from all major food retailers, which remain open as a critical service. They also have supplies of the kerbside recycling bags and food waste caddy liners. Anyone who is unable to get the shops for themselves can ask a friend or relative to collect some when they pick up any groceries. Bin stickers will also be available online for delivery soon.
Pictured top: Bin stickers still need to be used on household black bag waste, but any rubbish which has come into contact with a patient, or anyone suspected of having corona virus must be double bagged and stored until they have recovered or have had a negative test result back.
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