ZAOE measures against the spread of COVID-19

Since 20 March 2020, the following ZAOE measures have been in place to combat the spread of COVID-19:

Closure of the office for visitor traffic
The office in Radebeul is closed to visitors. All employees are still available to answer customers' questions by telephone and e-mail. ZAOE has also taken various measures to protect employees from infection with the coronavirus. In order to minimise contact with each other, home offices have been set up for some employees. The general social distancing rules apply in the office. In this way, business operations can be safeguarded.

Closure of all recycling centres
The ZAOE is closing all recycling centres (including those located on the premises of the transfer stations in Gröbern, Groptitz, Kleincotta and Freital) for small suppliers and tradespeople.

The mobile collection of hazardous waste will be discontinued
The mobile pollutant collection with the pollutant mobile has been suspended for the time being. The ZAOE asks citizens not to deposit any waste containing hazardous substances at the collection point specified in the waste calendar until the collection of hazardous substances is resumed.
Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance
The closure of the recycling centres and the office is expected to last until 20 April. This information was communicated to citizens via various media. The period of closure is based on the ordinance of the Saxon State Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Cohesion for protection against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 (Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance - Sächsische Corona-Schutz-Verordnung - SächsCoronaSchVO) of 31 March 2020, which comes into force on 20 April.

Public waste disposal
ZAOE is currently doing everything it can to ensure public waste disposal of residual, organic and bulky waste as well as paper and cardboard. The measures taken by the ZAOE to protect against the coronavirus have no influence on the collection of waste from households.
Regular consultations are held with the waste disposal companies commissioned by ZAOE in order to be able to react to changing situations at short notice. The transfer stations in Gröbern [Mei], Groptitz [RG], Kleincotta [SäS] and Freital [Wk] are used exclusively for public waste disposal. Among other things, residual waste and bulky waste from the regions is transferred there and transported to the Leuna and Zorbau waste incineration plants or to the bulky waste processing plants for thermal treatment.

Bulky waste disposal
The restrictions at the recycling centres and at the office have only a minor impact on the disposal of bulky waste. This can still be ordered for collection using an order card or electronically. Each customer must place the bulky waste registered for collection on the street themselves. Care must be taken to ensure that there is a sufficiently wide access route for the disposal vehicle. The items must not be deposited in green areas, between waste or recycling containers, on private roads or in garage yards. For reasons of health protection, however, the full service (e.g. collection from the home, cellar, floor, etc.) is suspended until further notice.

Disposal of packaging
The measures taken in the association area to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus also have an impact on the disposal of packaging waste. At the request of the ZAOE, the waste disposal companies working on behalf of the system operators in the association area have confirmed that they will be able to ensure the collection of yellow bags and the emptying of yellow bins. Due to the closure of shops and public facilities, numerous distribution points for the "yellow bags" are no longer available. However, the ZAOE office will remain as such. In view of the tense situation, the ZAOE is making yellow bags available for collection by citizens in an appropriate manner. The waste disposal companies commissioned have assured us that they will continue to deliver rolls to the distribution points that are still open. Numerous towns and municipalities have also set up distribution points in public facilities.
However, if there is a shortage of yellow sacks, citizens can also use transparent waste sacks. These (without contaminants such as toys or other plastic objects) are also taken away by the waste disposal companies. All other coloured bags where it is not possible to check the contents will be left behind.

What happens next?
We ask citizens for their understanding for the measures taken. This applies in particular to the closure of the recycling centres. One of the aims of the closure was to ensure the protection of our employees and customers. Parts of the recycling centres and areas of the transfer stations are also essential for maintaining public waste disposal at the properties.
From the ZAOE's point of view, the closure of the recycling centres is reasonable, as only waste that can be temporarily stored on the property is handed in there. This primarily applies to green waste. Green waste can be disposed of in the organic waste bin. Alternatively, you can compost your own waste on your own property, which is even mandatory for allotment garden associations in particular. In addition, there is always the option of ordering a container from a private waste disposal company.
The ZAOE will also continue to collect bulky waste and large old electrical appliances from the property on request.
The Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance, which came into force on 1 April 2020, prohibits people from leaving their homes without a valid reason. In an exhaustive list of drifting reasons, the disposal of waste at recycling centres is not mentioned as such at any point.
In the view of the ZAOE, the opening of recycling centres must be preceded by a relaxation of the restrictions by the Free State of Saxony. The federal states will reach an agreement on this on 15 April.
Minimising contact with each other will definitely take some time in order to avoid a renewed increase in infections.
The ZAOE's further measures will also be based on this. These may include restricting opening hours, limiting acceptance to certain types of waste, regulating access (e.g. number of people, distancing rules) or wearing a face mask.

ZAOE office
Telephone: +49 351 40404-50, e-mail: , Internet: www.zaoe.de