Media Release 7:00pm, Sunday 6 March 2011: Christchurch residents urged to help minimise disease risk

Christchurch City currently faces an increased risk of disease and vermin. The higher risk has been caused by waste material around vacant houses, broken food containers, and the amount of wastewater entering the Avon and Heathcote Rivers.

Christchurch residents are urged to help organisations co-ordinating the earthquake recovery effort to minimise this risk.

Residents are asked to assist their neighbourhood by:

• Moving bins with waste material in them from vacant households to the kerbside, and returning them to the right houses when emptied.

• Carpets, furniture or any other material coming out of damaged houses will not be picked up. This material should be disposed of at local transfer stations.

Normal kerbside/recycling collection will continue but delays are possible.

For the week 7th to 11th March there will be a collection of the green organics bins (organic waste only) and red rubbish bins across the whole city, even if it is not your normal red bin collection. Human waste (solids only) can be put in the red bin but must be well wrapped in paper or plastic bags. Usual collections of the yellow recycling bin will resume this week if it is your recycling collection week.

Liquids can be disposed of in your garden. Remember to take care when disposing of human waste. Wash you hands immediately after dealing with any human waste.

An increased effort to keep the city as clean as possible will help minimise the spread of disease and vermin. Residents are thanked for their assistance.

ENDS

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