A number of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Greater Manchester are to reopen from this weekend (2 May) with some restrictions and social distancing measures in place.

Garden and bulky waste services remain disrupted and more Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) close while core collections services continue to be maintained, according to the latest Covid-19 local authority impacts survey.

The consultation period for the Plastic Packaging Tax has been extended by three months due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has said that local authorities will be asked to “plan the organised opening” of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in the coming weeks.

Households in Cardiff will receive a one-off garden waste collection in May to allow residents to dispose of waste built up during the Covid-19 pandemic, Cardiff Council has announced.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to “explore the potential for further support” for the waste and resources sector as it rolls out a Covid-19 impacts survey.

Rick Hindley, Executive Director at Alupro, explores the possible implications of severe disruptions to UK recycling collections caused by Covid-19 and what it could mean for the aluminium packaging supply chain.

Frontline waste workers in England and their families will now be able to access Covid-19 testing if they display symptoms as the government seeks greater certainty over who has the virus.

Local authorities are planning for a “controlled and consistent” reopening of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) once the government publishes its strategy for exiting the Covid-19 lockdown, according to the latest ADEPT local authority impact survey.

Sustainable polymer company Aquapak has donated 46,500 water-soluble infection control laundry bags to frontline NHS health and social care workers to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.