Waste and Recycyling

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, there may be changes to your usual recycling and waste collections in Essex. Precautions are being put in place to ensure Coronavirus is not spread via your waste and recycling.

How to get rid of your waste if you are either self-isolating or confirmed to have Coronavirus

Any individuals asked to self-isolate, either as a precaution or because they are confirmed to have Coronavirus, should follow this advice to get rid of their household waste to ensure the virus is not spread via personal waste.

  • Individuals should place all personal waste such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths, securely in a plastic bag or bin liner.
  • This plastic bag should then be placed in another plastic bag and securely tied.
  • These bags must be stored separately to other waste for at least 72 hours before being placed in the general rubbish collection.

After 72 hours outside the body the virus is no longer viable and the double bagged waste can be put in the general rubbish collection as normal. Only waste that is heavily contaminated, such as tissues that have been coughed in and disposable cleaning cloths need to be treated in this way. Regular household recycling and waste should be treated as normal.


Please note, individuals who are self-isolating should not visit any recycling centre.

Changes to recycling and waste services in Essex

You can keep up to date by following @loveessexuk on FacebookTwitter and Instagram or at www.loveessex.org/coronavirus.

You can keep up to date with your local council by following @loveessexuk or using the webpage pages below.

Braintree District Council