If B&Q is open why aren't recycling centres?

[KeepWashingThoseHands]

My council aren't collecting green bins until at least mid-May, so 6 weeks now. Annoying but I'll manage, but also getting a backlog of loads of cardboard boxes etc. that don't fit in the blue bin which is also only collected every 2 weeks.

I know this isn't the biggest issue but recycling centres are outside, people are fairly apart anyway and we don't want fly tipping. It's really curious what's permitted to be open and what isn't.

The Daily Mail headline of stuff that they reckon might happen but usually doesn't, mentions something about tips might open and garden centres in the next week or two, so it might mean it's on the radar.

Man on Radio 4 from rubbish industry has just to,d people to get a grip on recycling centres and that it’s not essential at the moment, the focus being on street collections of perishable waste

Interesting comments and thanks those who understood the analogy I was trying to make.

I get there is a massive supply chain and the recycling centre is just one piece of that- same as lots of businesses.

My other thought is if private waste companies have furloughed staff, that in effect means the govt is paying so why can't the govt mandate those services resume in some form or other where able people are redeployed. I don't want to turn this into a furlough thread but it seems there are people wanting to work who perform essential services, yet we haven't figured out the logistics. In the meantime Rome is burning their rubbish.

They must have been reading this thread

Here in NL they have remained open, but ppl are queueing up for 2 hrs to get in. Baffling.

And for DIY stored and garden centers...only 1 person per car allowed in.

How will a reduction in council tax help the council FFS.
My waste collections have been slashed but I don't expect to pay less.

I'm gutted about the increase in litter as I litter pick in normal times. I'd just got this area looking nice.

I was in B&Q.
I bought paint and gardening stuff.
The organisation was fantastic
All staff had gloves and face shields on.
One in one out policy at the door with markers on the ground.
Everyone had to sanitise hands on entry.
Big store meant easy to social distance.
At check out you had to park your trolly on a square and step back behind a line. Cashier came from behind their line scanned everything and stepped back. You stepped forward and paid.
It has been extremely well thought out and shows that we can have some sort of normality whilst observing the rules.

Meant to add- it’s a shame recycling centres can’t to the same.

My local newspaper is today reporting that the tips in the neighbouring Borough are reopening. They aren't reopening in my Borough.

Can anyone guess what's going to happen?!

Well if you're suggesting that people who live in your Borough will use the open tips, that wouldn't work round here as you need proof of residency in the right area to get in.

We can't use our nearest tip because it's over the border and belongs to another council. You need a sticker in your car from the right council and they use number plate recognition to deter frequent users who might be passing off trade waste as domestic.

Bearing in mind that councils have been given billions why have they closed the centres. Employees redeployed to where?

Councils given millions! I presume you work for one given that you are so matter of fact with that?
We've been a very small chunk of money, not enough to fund the business grants we need to process.

Our recycling centres aren't actually run by the council and so our staffing levels have nothing to do with them not being open.

Our council has closed recycling centers but increased the number of local recycling points ( unmanned sites).

They also started a reduced recycling collection last week (down to three weeks from two, paper and plastic but no glass).

Only today, my local MP is calling for our recycling centres to be opened, because of the amount of fly tipping that's starting to happen in my area.

I agree with @KeepWashingThoseHands though that it doesn't seem logical for the Government (which, in essence, means everyone who pays taxes) is paying people who collect rubbish on a daily basis 80% of their salary to do nothing, when they could just continue to pay 100% of the salary to actually provide a much needed service. I can't help thinking, long term, it is going to save them a whole heap of overtime and / or industrial disputes down the line when rubbish has built up to unmanageable proportions.

Well if you're suggesting that people who live in your Borough will use the open tips, that wouldn't work round here as you need proof of residency in the right area to get in.

That's not that hard to find ways around...