It is not necessary to provide the garbage collectors with specific protections against the Covid-19 beyond the current prudent measures, estimated Thursday the Minister for the Ecological Transition Élisabeth Borne, evoking in passing a fall in garbage collection . " There is no need for special protective equipment " in the collection of household waste, she said during a dematerialized hearing in the Senate.
Read also: Coronavirus: 25% less waste collected in Île-de-France
The Minister refers to an opinion from the High Council for Public Health, requested on this point by the government. According to him, the " barrier " gestures requested from all French people are sufficient, like keeping a distance of one meter between two people. These are " good gestures, including for employees who are involved in the collection and sorting of waste, " insisted Ms. Borne.
In fact, she noticed that the companies in the sector had reorganized the work so, for example, that there were not more than two people at the same time in the cabin of a garbage truck. The Minister also recalled that in normal times, it was already imposed on certain employees in the sector to wear masks and that these obligations remained in force, even leading the government to draw on a strategic stock in the face of supply difficulties. " We make sure they continue to have them, " she said.
Read also: Coronavirus: those employees at the front who drive the economy
More generally, Élisabeth Borne gave an update on the activity of the sorting and waste collection sector, all sectors combined with household and industrial waste. " The waste stream is down sharply (...) on the order of 50% " all combined, she summarized.
