Christchurch City Council resource recovery manager Ross Trotter said some aspects of the service have been impacted but contractors have processes in place to keep the kerbside collection running through the peak of the Omicron outbreak.
"But staff shortages are starting to impact on services, such as bin swaps and repairs," Trotter said.
"Please be aware that you may have to wait longer than normal for these services because of the staffing shortages.
"With the number of Covid-19 cases in the community rising and more staff needing to isolate, our contractor is experiencing some driver shortages.
"If your bin is not full and you can hold off until the next collection cycle without having to overload it, please don’t put your bin out.
"If there are fewer bins to be emptied, it will ease the pressure on the drivers and help them complete their routes within normal operating hours.’’
"Our contractor may end up having to collect bins after 6pm weekdays and on Saturdays.
"Other operational changes, such as temporarily moving to a fortnightly organics collection, might also be required.
"We will advise you if we move to this situation.
"In the meantime, please continue to put your bins out if they need emptying and put the right items in the right bin.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and we will keep you updated on any changes," Trotter said.
