News / Weather
Waste collection services start at 4am to cope with extreme heat
Bin collections across Bristol started at 4am on Wednesday morning and will continue until it is no longer safe for crews to work.
Waste and recycling collections will start at the same time on Thursday to cope with the high temperatures which have seen many schools closed to pupils for the next two days.
A Bristol Waste spokesperson said: “Due to the red weather warning for extreme heat in the region (danger to life), our collections service will be starting from 4am on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June 2026 and stopping when it is no longer safe to work.
“If your waste or recycling collection is due on Wednesday or Thursday this week, please put your containers out the night before to ensure they can be collected from 4am.
“If your waste or recycling is not collected on your scheduled day, please leave your bins and containers out. Our crews will get to you as soon as they can.
“Keeping our colleagues safe from dangerously hot working conditions is our absolute priority, so we have made the decision to alter shift patterns.
“Crews will collect in the cooler part of the day and pause work when it is no longer safe for our colleagues.
“Service will resume on Friday 26 June from 5am (one hour earlier than the standard start time as temperatures are expected to be 25 degrees or higher).
“The teams will be working over the weekend and additional hours next week to catch up on the collections missed during the extreme heat.”
The household reuse & recycling centres in St Philip’s and on Hartcliffe Way will both be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
It comes as Rob Heath has been announced as the new managing director for Bristol Waste, with the incoming boss due to start in early September and become the council-owned company’s sixth MD in four years.
Heath has most recently been executive operations director for Ubico, and says he is “look(ing) forward to working closely with Bristol City Council, building on Bristol’s innovative and dedicated attitude towards sustainability, and ensuring we continue to deliver reliable services that residents can be proud of”.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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