From flexible collections, to social distancing measures, North Yorkshire and York-based waste management firm, Yorwaste, has modified its business to offer critical support to the NHS and care homes across North Yorkshire.
As health workers and carers deal with the ongoing impact of the global pandemic, the last thing they need to worry about is whether or not their waste will be collected.
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With this in mind, Yorwaste, the Yorkshire based commercial waste collection company that serves the whole of North Yorkshire and City of York, took the decision in early March to adapt its service and maintain a condensed workforce in order to provide safe, reliable and critical support to York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the dozens of care homes it looks after across the region, amongst other essential businesses.
Instead of suspending its services, it has completely adapted the day-to-day running of its business, working closely with customers to follow government guidelines and implement additional measures, such as assigning a single driver per refuse collection to adhere to social distancing rules, whilst offering a flexible, priority service for all care-providing clients, rescheduling services in-line with changing needs and providing a 48 hour turnaround time on ad-hoc collections.
The drivers are also scheduling additional time to wipe-down their cabs as they are equipped with disinfectant sprays and wipes. In turn, customers are also being guided in maximising safety, such as double bagging waste and pre-gathering their bins in easily accessible locations ready for collection to minimise contact between Yorwaste’s staff and theirs.
Andrew Rae Home Manager from Hillcrest Care Home comments on Yorwaste’s COVID-19 waste management strategy:
“The negative impact on our environment without efficient waste management in place would have been significant. The lockdown and isolation measures have impacted our waste requirements considerably; it’s been a Godsend to know that the team at Yorwaste are on-hand to help us deal with this and keep the home completely clear of COVID-19 thus far.”
Matthew Wilkinson, head of sales & marketing at Yorwaste comments on the essential service the firm is providing:
“Waste management is a seemingly invisible service which the care sector relies on heavily, now more than ever, and it was important to us to ensure the hospitals and care homes we look after have one less thing to worry about as they work night & day to fight COVID-19. We’ve adapted our ways of working to be as flexible as possible to fit in with the altered waste management needs of these establishments throughout the past months”.
Yorwaste driver, Peggy Frankland adds –
“I am proud to be a driver for Yorwaste and supplying essential support for the waste industry. I am more than happy to help in any way I can to comply with hygiene and social distancing measures. Who knows when this will all be over but myself and my colleagues are here through it all to do what we can to get us all through this”.
