With news on: Environment Agency priority visits, local authorities paying suppliers, first aid cover during and pandemic, how to bag contaminated waste and Germinor’s new office in Italy.
Environment Agency to reduce waste site regulatory visits
The Environment Agency says it will prioritise visits to waste sites that could cause serious environmental harm during the coronavirus pandemic.
Regulatory visits to other waste sites will be reduced and regulated in accordance with government guidance.
In a statement updating the public on their services, the Environment Agency announced that most of its staff were working from home, while the remaining frontline teams were still active in tackling priority issues.
Most Environment Agency offices are closed, with four remaining open for essential staff only.
The Environment Agency said that it was aware communities rely on their services for regulatory work and it would continue to review the situation in light of government advice.
Authorities must pay contractors
Local authorities must take steps to pay all suppliers and workers as a matter of urgency, according to a Cabinet Office procurement policy note (PPN).
The document states that as services are reduced or suspended, councils and authorities should continue to pay at risk suppliers, such as those working on the frontlines, to ensure services continue after the coronavirus outbreak.
Frontline workers must be paid until the end of June to keep services up and running
Authorities should confirm that they will continue to pay frontline workers until at least the end of June to ensure that essential services can be maintained once the pandemic is over, according to the document.
The PPN gives advice and guidance to authorities on how they can support cash flow for essential services, such as forward ordering and payment in advance.
Advice also includes suppliers acting on an ‘open book’ basis and making cost data available to the contracting authority during this time.
It can be read in full here.
Guidance on first aid cover during pandemic published
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on what businesses can do to maintain first aid cover during the coronavirus crisis.
The coronavirus may suspend some businesses first aid cover
The guidance says that businesses should review their first aid needs assessments and decide whether cover can still be provided for workers.
To provide cover, businesses can share first aiders with others, as long as they have the knowledge, experience and availability to cover needs, the HSE says.
The HSE also advises that if a business holds a first aid certificate that expired on or after 16 March 2020, the business may qualify for a three-month extension, in place due to the pandemic.
In the case of interrupted first aid training, the HSE states that training can restart at a later date as long as it involves a full recap, and the awarding body believes that the business shows a full understanding of course content.
Government issues guidelines on decontaminating waste
The Government has published guidance on Covid-19 decontamination in non-healthcare settings, including what to do with waste.
The document gives advice on how to deal with waste that has come from an individual with coronavirus symptoms.
People must be extra careful to double bag contaminated waste
Government guidelines state that potential contaminated waste should firstly be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied, and then put into a second bin bag.
The advice says that waste should then be put in a secure place and marked for storage until the definite test results of the individual is known.
If test results are negative, the Government say it can go into normal waste; however, if tests are positive, it must be stored for at least 72 hours before going in with normal waste.
If storage is not appropriate, the Government says a collection for Category B infectious waste must be arranged.
New Geminor office opens in Italy
Resource management company Geminor have opened an Italian office to meet growing European demands for energy recovery and material recycling.
The office has opened to help with growing demand
Geminor said the surplus waste market in Italy is quickly becoming important for European countries during the COVID-19 outbreak and new office in the Northern Italian city of Bolzano, will cater for the Italian waste export.
The Norwegian-owned company added that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the European waste market with the reduction of waste export from the UK turning into the waste sectors biggest challenges.
The office will be lead by Geminor senior account and development manager Michele Benvenuti.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
