THERE will be 'significant problems' with rubbish and recycling collections this week in Somerset, people are being warned.

The Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), which oversees the collections, says the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers, combined with numbers of people being told to self-isolate due to Covid-19 is leading to pick-ups being missed. 

A spokesperson said: "We are expecting significant problems with collections this week, due to the continued nationwide driver shortage plus the increasing impact of Covid self-isolation now being felt in Somerset.

"Rubbish and garden waste collections have been prioritised and maintained without significant issue, but an increasing number of recycling collections have been missed and this is likely to continue this week.

"Increasingly, we will not be able to return for some of these missed recycling until the follow week’s collection day.

"We will do everything we can to ensure the same area isn’t affected twice in a row."

READ MORE: 'No quick fix' for waste collection delays, says SWP 

Crews worked on Saturday (July 17) to catch up on missed recycling collections from Thursday (July 15) and Friday (July 16) last week but were unable to get to them all, the spokesperson said.

However, any still not collected will not be so until this week's pick-up (July 22 and 23).

They are predominantly in:

Mendip: Locations including Batcombe, Cranmore, Evercreech, Nunney, Trudoxhill, Wanstrow, Witham Friary.

South Somerset: Locations including Hinton St George, Ilminster, and around Isle Brewers.

Somerset West and Taunton: Locations including Williton and Stogursey.

Meanwhile, recycling collections will also be missed in parts of the Bower estate in Bridgwater today (July 19) and these will not be returned for until next Monday (July 26).

"Sincere apologies from SWP and SUEZ for this disruption. We thank you for your patience," the spokesperson added.