15 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, June 30, 2022 | Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover Thank You for Doing Your Part! Katherine Ross, Waste Management Technician for the Region of Durham talks everything Waste. Send your waste related questions or comments to waste@durham.ca If you require this information in an accessible format, please call 1-800-667-5671 • durham.ca/waste Collection Delays: What you need to know While interruptions to curbside waste collection services have historically been minimal, in the current state of worker shortages waste collection is being impacted, causing service delays to residents. The delays in waste collection services are a result of a significant shortage of licensed DZ drivers and general labour as well as absenteeism due to COVID-19 isolation protocols that remain in place, as per guidance from the Region's Health Department and the Ministry of Health. Priority is given to the core services including Blue Box, Green Bin and garbage collections. This prioritization results in delays in leaf and yard waste collection as this material can stay uncollected longer than the other materials without health and safety risks. The Region's waste contractors are mitigating labour shortages by retaining available sub-contractors and transferring in licensed drivers from other southern Ontario contracts that are not as heavily affected by the current labour shortages. We are asking all residents to place their yard waste out for collection on their regularly scheduled days and, if not collected, to leave it at the curb until it is collected. Leaf and yard waste bags are made of two layers of special reinforced kraft paper and are weather resistant. However, given the current collection delays, waste collection drivers have been instructed to clean up any broken yard waste bags or debris during collection. We are making every effort to collect all waste material as soon as possible and appreciate the patience and understanding of our residents as we work through these challenging times. The Region provides regular collection updates to residents through the Durham Waste App, as well as through social media and on the Region's website. If you do not already have the Durham Waste App, it can be downloaded for free through the App Store or Google Play. Residents are encouraged to download the app to ensure they receive the most current information.