(originally sent March 22, 2020)
PEDAL PEOPLE COVID-19 UPDATE **** 3/22/20 **** Hello Dear Customers, After a tumultuous but successful first week of hauling in the age of COVID-19, we have some updates, reminders, and requests for our health, safety, and sustainability. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility during this unprecedented time in Pedal People history! UPDATES: With so may people at home, the overall amount of trash we haul on a daily basis has risen significantly. We will continue to take your contracted amount of trash, but we will most likely not be able to fit extra trash above that amount with our regular loads. We are also not scheduling significantly large special pick ups (such as clean outs from closets, garages, etc.) to prioritize regular service. We are working extra hard and anticipate needing to cover one another's runs (which we have already started doing). Over-stretched riders are at risk of injury so we are doing our best to work together with you proactively to successfully continue service. Any added mindfulness about trash production at this time is greatly appreciated! IMPORTANT SAFETY REMINDERS: RECYCLING: We WILL leave behind any recycling that is not properly sorted, particularly if we see it contains the following: black plastic, plastic cups (Starbucks or Dunkin cups for example), and any kind of plastic bag or similar flimsy plastic material. Paper recycling should not include any used tissues, etc. It is not safe for us to personally handle your recycling items. If we leave your recycling behind, you may reschedule a pick up (for the $5 rescheduling fee) after your recycling has been sorted. At this time, when in doubt, throw it out, or consult CAREFULLY the following guidelines: https://www.pedalpeople.coop/docs/pp_full_info_sheets.pdf When recycling isn't properly sorted or cleaned, it may lead to an entire batch of recycling at the plant being tossed into the trash, which is why it is so important to sort it. You are welcome to contact us with any questions! TRASH: Close all garbage bags. Please do not leave them out without closing them first. If your bag is too full to close, please use an additional bag. Please make sure trash is in plastic bags, not paper or other materials that can easily break open. Also, be cautious when disposing of items that could puncture trash bags, like broken glass. These items could be wrapped in a paper bag before being disposed of. As usual, we ask that you have bags out by 8 am, or consider setting them out the night before. Please understand for safety reasons around the virus we cannot take last minute trash items personally from you if you are home and happen to see we are outside. DISINFECT: We are doing our best to prevent the spread of the virus. We touch every bin and trash can on our route. Please be mindful to disinfect these items you touch and we touch to minimize spread of the virus. Leaving them isolated outside for several days before filling them again is one way to naturally kill the virus after your pick up. INFORM US!: If you are experiencing any symptoms, especially COVID-19 symptoms, let your hauler know so we can take extra care with your trash. Consider bagging and trashing food instead of composting it if it has saliva on it. Thank you for reading and following these guidelines. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns. We are in this together! -Pedal People **** 3/15/20 **** Dear customers, Thank you for being with us in these difficult times. We will be continuing recycling, trash and compost service on a regular schedule. Please remember that unlike other haulers, Pedal People have to interact more directly with the items you leave out. To help keep everyone safe, please remember the following things: * Close all garbage bags. Please do not leave them out without closing them first. If your bag is too full to close, please use an additional bag. Please make sure trash is in plastic bags, not paper or other materials that can easily break open. Also, be cautious when disposing of items that could puncture trash bags, like broken glass. These items could be wrapped in a paper bag before being disposed of. * Place anything that has a potential concentration of the virus securely in your closed trash bags, such as used tissues, paper towels, etc., so we don't have to touch these items at all. * Review our recycling guidelines: https://www.pedalpeople.coop/docs/pp_full_info_sheets.pdf Anything that is not listed as recyclable, please put it in the trash. If you don't, someone else down the line will need to pick it out by hand. Often this is your Pedal People hauler, but if we don't do it, the people at the transfer station will have to, or the workers at the Springfield sorting facility. Please don't 'wishcycle,' leaving things out that you hope can be recycled but are not on our guidelines. That only increases the work others have to do, and increases the chances of spreading contagions. Common things people put in recycling that should go in the trash include black plastic, plastic cups, and any kind of plastic bag or similar flimsy plastic material. We will be less likely to take improperly sorted materials in the coming weeks. * We will do our best to prevent the spread of the virus, but we will at minimum have to touch everyone's bins on a route. You may want to consider disinfecting your bins, or leaving them isolated outside for several days before filling them again. * If you are experiencing any symptoms, especially COVID-19 symptoms, let us know so we can take extra care with your trash. If your food waste has saliva on it, consider bagging and trashing it instead of composting. Thank you for reading and following these guidelines. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns. -Pedal People