Changes to bin collections in west Norfolk are being introduced in a bid to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

From the week commencing Monday, April 6, food waste - usually collected weekly - will only be collected on a fortnightly basis on the same day as black bin collections, but not alongside green bin collections.

Garden waste collections will, however, be reinstated from next week.

In addition, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council has said it will not be possible to collect side waste or garden waste that has been bagged.

Residents are therefore advised to feed excess garden waste into brown bins over the next couple of collections.

Alterations are being made as the number of people in each collection crew is reduced, thus maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Ian Devereux, the borough council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Our refuse staff have been working really hard to keep up the usual collection service for our area.

“But with some staff self-isolating, and the new guidelines on social distancing that we must follow, we have had to change the way our weekly food waste collections happen.

“It is disappointing we will have to reduce the food waste collection, but this is because we have to reduce the number of people on each crew.

“Keeping our staff safe and preserving the core services of black and green bin collections are our priorities.”

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Homeowners are now being advised to combine food waste with your general waste as this will be the quickest and easiest way for the reduced crews to maintain the collections.

Food caddies left out will not be collected.

“Disappointingly, food waste will be collected each fortnight with the black bin waste and in many cases will be sent for disposal,” added Mr Devereux.

“We aren’t happy about it, but we have no choice under the exceptional and unprecedented national circumstances in which we find ourselves.

“As soon as things return to normal, rest assured the weekly food collection will be reinstated and this will be collected and processed in the usual, environmentally friendly way.”

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