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Covid-19 Update

Last updated 04 July 2022

Due to the impact of Omicron on our workforce, we need to make the following service changes. We are sorry for the disruption and thank you for your understanding:

 

Nelson & Blenheim

Due to driver shortages, there may be some wheelie bin collection delays. We'll do our best to notify all affected customers. Please leave your bin kerbside and we'll complete collections as soon as possible. 

 

Our services at RED LIGHT & ORANGE LIGHT

Waste collection and services will continue as normal. However, we have physical distancing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) requirements to help slow the spread of COVID-19

Waste collection services
Our waste collection services for households and businesses operate as normal at Red Light & Orange Light with our team wearing appropriate PPE. If you are putting your bin out, make sure you put it somewhere that is easy for our drivers to access. Remember to maintain a minimum of 1m distance between you and our team.

FlexiBin®
We can continue removing FlexiBins with PPE safety equipment and 1m physical distancing in place.

Skips
Skip services can operate at Red Light with 1m physical distancing and appropriate PPE.

Transfer Stations
Transfer stations are open to the public. Please scan the contact tracing QR code and maintain 1m physical distance.

Recycle shops
Recycle shops must operate under the same requirements as a retail store with capacity limits based on 1m distancing.

Omicron planning / response

Waste Management is currently operating as normal, with elevated safety requirements and protections for our team and customers.

We continue to review and update our pandemic plan, as well as business continuity plans for our individual sites and branches across every region. Regular meetings are held with our COVID response team and updates are fed back to every part of the business. This will enable us to respond promptly to the situation as it changes either across New Zealand or within each region.

As New Zealand moves into Phase 2 & 3 of the Government’s Omicron response, we are preparing for when/ if our workforce and labour capacity becomes fundamentally affected. In this situation, services will be prioritised and we are working closely with the Government’s Waste Advisory Group on a framework to best manage this. If service prioritisation becomes necessary, we will communicate with you as soon as possible.

Please be assured all our team members are fully vaccinated and operating safely is our top priority. Our safety measures include:

  1. A focus on good hygiene practices and PPE for our workers. All our operational team members are required to wear N95/P2 masks and we provide gloves, hand sanitiser, and anti-bacterial hand wipes.
  2. For collection vehicle/bin delivery operations, supervisors are monitoring weekly truck washing, allocating vehicles to a single operator and enforcing thorough cleaning if the operator is going to change.
  3. Our workers always maintain 1m physical distancing from each other, as well as 2m distance from members of the public.
  4. When possible, all office workers are working remotely and shifts are split so that a limited number of workers are in an office at any time.
  5. Dispatch offices are limiting exposure to other workers during start and end administration requirements.