Visits to recycling centres are still permitted under the current regulations, with social distancing and other measures in place to protect both customers and staff.
As Chair of the Council, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan, explained: “During this current lockdown, recycling centres have been able to remain open which means we can continue to deliver an important service to local people.
“However, we do ask that people only visit the sites if absolutely necessary and, crucially, they must be able to lift their waste from their vehicles into containers themselves, as social distancing measures mean our staff aren’t currently in a position to help them.
“While most people understand, we are aware of some isolated instances of verbal abuse which is not acceptable in any circumstances.”
Chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, Councillor Sean McGuigan, said: “While most people understand that our staff are unable to offer the same level of assistance as they would have prior to the pandemic, some customers have been abusive of late which is unwarranted and unfair to our staff who are bound by the same rules as everyone else in terms of maintaining their space and helping to reduce the spread of the virus.
“I would ask that everyone remains respectful and courteous as we continue to deliver a service in a challenging environment”.
