THE leader of Northumberland County Council has called for waste disposal sites to be reopened during the coronavirus crisis.

Coun. Peter Jackson has asked waste management firm Suez to reopen the 12 household waste recovery centres in the county.

The sites have been closed since lockdown began on March 24.

Council Jackson said: "The advice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is clear, and these sites can operate providing it is safe to do so.

“The County Council are willing to work with Suez and do whatever is necessary to get them open again as quickly as possible, and in a way that is not a risk to either employees or users."

One of the sites is in Prudhoe, and Coun. Gordon Stewart, who represents Prudhoe South, agreed with Coun. Jackson.

Coun. Stewart said: "Residents have raised their concerns with me.

"The government advice is clear, and I hope that the operator finds a way in which the sites can be opened again, but the safety of their staff and the public must remain paramount."

In a statement earlier this month, Suez said they do not consider access to waste recycling activities as an essential activity during lockdown, and that they had closed the sites to avoid non-essential travel and public gatherings inside or outside the sites.

The call comes just days after the council asked residents to avoid projects like DIY.

The council asked people to avoid activities such as DIY and spring cleaning, which would produce additional waste, to try and reduce the pressure on waste services.