It is a dirty job but someone has to do it and the bin crews serving the peninsula are doing it brilliantly.

Although the brown garden waste bin collection has had to be sacrificed for the moment, the blue recycling bins service is carrying on for now, and the black bins picking up general waste will not be halted in the foreseeable future.

The waste collection teams are employed by Serco, contracted to Babergh District Council and increased homes on the peninsula has meant collections in the area now take place over two days.

Nub News met up with one crew as they took their lunch break at their regular stop by the Shotley Rose, where landlady supplies much welcome refreshments for the workers.

Serco contacts manager Colin Wagstaff took time out to reassure peninsula residents that the service would be maintained, even if some sacrifices to some areas of the collection had to be made, due to the disease hitting staff.

"For the moment, we have stopped non-essentials like garden and glass collection as we are concentrating on recycling and general refuse," said Mr Wagstaff.

"That is of the main importance."

Serco's crews have stepped up to ensure Babergh's bins collection service is running as close to a regular routine as possible, and Mr Wagstaff has been impressed, although not totally surprised, with his work force.

"The staff have been great," he said. "For the moment, we have very few people off due to coronavirus or are self-isolating. Their attitude is fantastic.

"As you know they are only supposed to collect the bin, no side waste, but they realise people are at home more, so we are now doing the bin and side waste so we can keep on top it and keep the streets clean."

As one of those services that gets little recognition, but plenty of brickbats if bins are not collected, Serco know the importance of their role with Babergh during these unprecedented times

"This is one of the vital services, and I believe we are just one of the links in a big chain that is trying to keep the country safe, the country clean and the crews do a good job," said Mr Wagstaff.

Of course, you can't keep all of the people happy all of the time, and the decision to halt the brown bin service has raised eyebrows.

Mr Wagstaff explained: "People have called saying they can't believe we are cutting the garden waste as more are home, doing their gardens, but unfortunately 99% understand it is not a statutory main service and why we have had to suspend it."

The whole operation is overseen by Babergh, with corporate manager for waste services Oliver Faiers playing key role in running the show.

Mr Wagsteff said: "We have a close working relationship with Babergh. Olly is effectively my boss, we share daily contact and he passes information on to the public - we work very well together."

Waste collection falls under the environmental portfolio and cabinet member Elizabeth Malvisi underlined the importance of these key workers.

"We don't always connect with the fact that our key workers are also part of a family, their family.  Their partner, their children, their parents etc and Covid-19 situation also impacts on them just like us," said Cllr Malvisi. "But where they can they come out and deliver those key services without which we cannot do. 

"In the different organisations in which I've worked I used to ask staff whose absence do you notice the most? The chairman or the cleaner. Everyone without exception said; 'the cleaner'. 

"Yet again the crews who collect our recycling and waste are working under pressure.  Some are self-isolating and some are looking after vulnerable members of their family and the rest are picking up the slack, pulling together and doing the job.

"Like all of us they have to take every precaution possible to ensure that they remain safe.  We support all our key workers no matter what job they do because without them where would we be?"

Ongoing uncertainty makes it difficult for everyone to plan too far ahead but Mr Wagstaff is confident sustainability won't be an issue for Babergh.

Serco has a contingency plan in place in terms of vehicles, drivers and loader and how far they can go down delivering the same service.

That said, problems can, and as we saw last year, do arise and Mr Wagstaff has asked for patience if residents do experience issues.

He said: "If we are a day late, there will be an obvious reason why, so please be patient, look after the bin crews when they come around and be careful what you put into your bags. Be safe."

Householders are advised not to touch their face after putting their bins out and immediately wash their hands for 20 seconds.

For updates on your bin collection days on the peninsula go to Babergh's web page.