COVID-19

COVID-19

Latest update

10/01/2022 Thank you for working with Cleanaway for your waste management and resource recovery services.

As much of the east coast of Australia deals with the current wave of COVID-19 infections many Cleanaway sites and services have been impacted, with a number of staff and their families becoming either unwell or isolating and awaiting test results.

The health and wellbeing of our team is a foundation of our business and we continue to provide financial and additional leave support to our employees and their families so they can take the time they need to isolate and get better.

To minimise transmission and protect our people and operations we have reinforced previous COVID-19 protocols and are reinstating others, these include but are not limited to:

  • Separation between shifts for cleaning
  • Cease operational work group meetings to maintain shift bubbles
  • Toolbox meetings held outdoors or in areas where with a minimum 1.5m of separation
  • Admin staff to work from home where possible
  • Limiting movement between sites and utilising RATs before arrival and upon return to original site
  • Separate amenities for different work groups i.e., toilets when on site.

Ongoing COVID-19 measures that remain essential:

  • Staff with COVID-19 symptoms must stay home and get tested and present a negative result prior to returning to work
  • Temperature monitoring at the start of every shift
  • Social distancing whenever possible and masks where social distancing is not possible
  • Hand sanitising and sanitisation of equipment (yellow gear) before use
  • Separation of groups within shifts including staggered staff breaks where possible and separate break areas
  • Customers should not approach drivers or operators and should maintain social distancing and use masks.

Cleanaway is monitoring this situation closely as it evolves and we are holding regular meetings to ensure safety and compliance are upheld as foundational and to optimise servicing for our customers.

Thank you again for your support. Should you wish to discuss this further or understand how it may impact you or your services please contact your local account manager.


14/10/2021 On 4 October the Victorian Acting Chief Health Officer published the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Workers) Directions (the Directions) mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for designated employees. This Direction came into effect 11.59pm 7 October 2021. Under the Directions an employer is required to collect, record and hold COVID-19 vaccination information if an employee is, or maybe scheduled to, work outside the employee’s ordinary place of residence. The Directions also make it unlawful for employers to allow an unvaccinated employee to work outside of their ordinary place of residence. The Direction states that an employee must have:

  1. Booked a COVID-19 vaccination by 15 October 2021 that will be administered before 21 October 2021;
  2. Received their first COVID-19 vaccination by 22 October 2021;
  3. Received their second COVID-19 vaccination by 26 November 2021.

Cleanaway employees entering customer worksites Cleanaway takes public health orders and the safety of our employees and customers seriously. We have commenced the collection of our employees COVID-19 vaccination information in line with the obligations of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) for collecting, using, storing and disclosing any employee information. We have measures in place to ensure all our employees servicing our customer worksites are compliant with the Directions. If you have any further questions about Cleanaway’s response to COVID-19, or our service to you, please contact your account manager or call 13 13 39. Customer and contractors entering Cleanaway premises Customers and contractors entering Cleanaway’s worksites must show proof of vaccination and compliance with the Directions. Further information about the Directions and a list of employees captured please visit Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | Directions issued by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer (dhhs.vic.gov.au). To book a vaccination please visit Home  · (COVID-19) Vaccinations (cvms.vic.gov.au).


18/08/2021 Cleanaway shares customers’ concern regarding providing a safe operating environment for all parties considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation. As such Cleanaway have implemented several strategies to improve our collective safety and reduce the potential to transmit COVID-19. We continue to follow, as a minimum, the guidelines from the relevant government agencies. This document outlines the requirements for the two mandated categories which require vaccination and includes FAQs related to Cleanaway’s services. Cleanaway supports and echoes the Commonwealth message encouraging all our employees to be vaccinated. We appreciate that the rollout of vaccinations to the community will take some time. If you hold any specific concerns, please contact your account manager.


28/06/21 Waste Services are classified as an essential service and our services will continue to operate during restrictions, unless specific public facing sites are instructed to close by the Government. Throughout the pandemic Cleanaway has always taken the approach to follow Government advice. Our Emergency Management Plan (EMP) is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, and it will be updated as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Our COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (SMP) outlining the processes and controls we have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be performed in the safest way possible and with minimal disruptions has been implemented and, where required, registered with or submitted to relevant state authorities. We continue to review and update the SMP as guidelines and recommendations continue to evolve. These controls include:

  • Face masks and gloves for employees
  • A temperature checking policy in place for employees entering sites
  • Increased cleaning procedures in place across all sites and additional hand sanitising facilities for employees
  • Ensure physical distancing
  • Keep records and act quickly if staff become unwell

The majority of our services can occur without contact with members of the public and we ask our customers for their support in this. Please ensure we have access to complete our services. Please do not approach our drivers, and please wear a mask and maintain physical distance if communication is required.


01/02/21 Effective from 6pm Sunday 31 January 2021 until 6pm Friday 5 February 2021, the Perth metropolitan area and the Peel and South West regions will enter a 5-day lockdown, based on health advice, following a positive COVID-19 case detected in a hotel quarantine worker. Throughout the pandemic Cleanaway has always taken the approach to follow Government advice. Our Emergency Management Plan (EMP) is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, and it will be updated as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Waste Services are classified as an essential service and our services will continue through this period, unless specific public facing sites are instructed to close by the Government. Our COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (SMP) outlining the processes and controls we have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be performed in the safest way possible and with minimal disruptions has been implemented and, where required, registered with or submitted to relevant state authorities. We continue to review and update the SMP as guidelines and recommendations continue to evolve. These controls include:

  • Face masks and gloves for employees
  • A temperature checking policy in place for employees entering sites
  • Increased cleaning procedures in place across all sites and additional hand sanitising facilities for employees
  • Ensure physical distancing
  • Keep records and act quickly if staff become unwell

The majority of our services can occur without contact with members of the public and we ask our customers for their support in this. Please ensure we have access to complete our services. Please do not approach our drivers, and please wear a mask and maintain physical distance if communication is required.


18/11/2020 The South Australian Premier has changed the Government advice and reintroduced COVID-19 restrictions effective from midnight tonight (Monday night) including a six day lockdown of South Australia (metropolitan and regional South Australia). Throughout the pandemic Cleanaway has always taken the approach to follow Government advice. Our Emergency Management Plan (EMP) is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, and it will be updated as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Waste Services are classified as an essential service and our services will continue through this period, unless specific public facing sites have been instructed to close by the South Australian Government. Our COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (SMP) outlining the processes and controls we have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be performed in the safest way possible and with minimal disruptions has been implemented and, where required, registered with or submitted to relevant state authorities. We continue to review and update the SMP as guidelines and recommendations continue to evolve. These controls include:

  • Face masks and gloves for employees
  • A temperature checking policy in place for employees entering sites
  • Increased cleaning procedures in place across all sites and additional hand sanitising facilities for employees
  • Ensure physical distancing
  • Keep records and act quickly if staff become unwell

The majority of our services can occur without contact with members of the public and we ask our customers for their support in this. Please ensure we have access to complete our services. Please do not approach our drivers, and please wear a mask and maintain physical distance if communication is required.


14/09/2020 Our Emergency Management Plan (EMP), which is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, continues to be updated regularly as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. We have also developed a COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (SMP) outlining the processes and controls we have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be performed in the safest way possible and with minimal disruptions. The SMP has been implemented nationally and, where required, registered with or submitted to relevant state authorities. We continue to review and update the SMP as guidelines and recommendations continue to evolve. Waste Services has been classified as a ‘Heavily Restricted’ industry under Victoria’s Roadmap for reopening in Metropolitan Melbourne and ‘Open with a COVID Safe Plan’ in Regional Victoria. The common requirements recommended for all within the Waste Services industry form part of our SMP including:

  • Ensure physical distancing
  • Wear a mask
  • Practice good hygiene
  • Keep records and act quickly if staff become unwell
  • Create workforce bubbles

05/08/2020 Our Emergency Management Plan (EMP), which is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, is updated regularly as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and in response to advice from the Federal and State Government. We have developed and registered a COVID-19 Safety Management Plan for New South Wales and will register one for Victoria by Friday 7 August. These plans document the processes and controls we already have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be maintained in the safest way possible and with minimal disruption. Waste Services has been classified as a permitted industry to remain open for on-site work under the Stage 4 restrictions in Metropolitan Melbourne. This includes collection, treatment and disposal for solid, liquid, fuel and refinery services.


26/06/2020 With sites operating across Australia, Cleanaway continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 restrictions and requirements of each state and territory. Social distancing and increased hygiene are part of the new normal at all our sites and offices. We have introduced controls to ensure all employees can continue perform their jobs safely and with minimal risk of transmission. These controls include:

  • Staggered start and finish times to reduce the number of people in one location and allow for travel on public transport outside of peak hours.
  • Face masks and gloves available for employees travelling on public transport.
  • A temperature checking policy in place for employees entering sites.
  • Increased cleaning procedures in place across all sites and additional hand sanitising facilities for employees.
  • Changes to seating configurations across workstations, meeting rooms and common areas to ensure social distancing is maintained.
  • Prioritising online and phone meetings.
  • Working from home options where necessary and practical to job requirements.

Cleanaway has produced an informational video to keep all employees informed about new safety and hygiene policies. We continue to regularly update our teams with communications, FAQs and CEO video updates.


19/03/2020 With the rapidly evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the safety, health and wellbeing of all Cleanaway’s staff, contractors and members of the public is paramount. Please be assured we are monitoring the situation closely. We have a COVID-19 Response Team in place that meets daily to ensure a timely and effective response to any circumstance which has the potential to disrupt our essential services to you. Cleanaway’s Emergency Management Plan (EMP) for COVID-19 is consistent with guidance provided by the Australian Government Department of Health, State Health Authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Comcare. The EMP is in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway delivers will be maintained in the safest way possible with minimal disruption. The geographical spread of our operations across Australia and New Zealand creates an inherent resilience to the impact of a disruption in a single location. With the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Emergency Management Plan is constantly being reviewed and updated as required. With respect of our employees, we have instituted several measures to ensure their interactions with customers, suppliers and each other minimises risk. Cleanaway is well prepared to maintain our essential services to our business customers and to households for the duration of the pandemic. Our clear message for the community is to keep separating recyclables and placing them in the correct bins and to keep placing your bins on the kerbside for collection. Once again, thank you for your continued co-operation. If you have any further questions about Cleanaway’s response to COVID-19, or our service to you, please contact your account manager or call 13 13 39.

What does being an Essential Service mean?

The Federal and State Governments have stated that Cleanaway is an Essential Service provider. That means we keep servicing our customers whether it’s in collections, recycling and materials recovery, processing or disposal. In short, we keep operating while other businesses are needing to shut down. To keep operating we need to drive our trucks, sort waste at our MRFs, treat waste on our sites, and keep our landfills open. This work can only be done on site. The government understands that and knows that we need to travel to get that work done. There are also many others who have to go to sites to support our frontline employees in their work. The government understands that too. To remove any uncertainty, we have an Essential Service letter which is available for every employee that needs one. Many other Essential Service providers will stop operating unless we continue to operate. Our hospitals and supermarkets are relying on us, so too are our other customers. That is why we too are an Essential Service.

Emergency Management Plan COVID-19

Cleanaway’s Emergency Management Plan for the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) follows guidance provided by the Australian Government Department of Health, State Health Authorities and Comcare. As a provider of essential services, the safety, health and wellbeing of all Cleanaway’s staff, contractors, customers and members of the public is paramount. Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Emergency Management Plan will be updated as required. 1. OVERALL RESPONSE Cleanaway has developed a framework to sets out the way in which the COVID-19 pandemic is being managed. The framework is based on the following key principles:

  • Keeping our people safe, including our employees, labour hire workers, contractors, customers and members of the public
  • Keep servicing our customers
  • Keeping our company sustainable

A COVID-19 Response Committee, which includes the Executive Committee and is chaired by our Chief Executive Officer, has been established to monitor, review and manage our response to this fast-evolving situation. 2. OUR OPERATIONS The geographic spread of operations across Australia creates an inherent resilience to the impact of a disruption in a single location. Prevention We have implemented several measures to ensure that our employees’ interactions with customers, suppliers and each other minimises risk. These measures follow the directions, recommendations and guidelines of the relevant Federal and State Health Departments. Key measures that we have put in place include requiring our employees to stay home if they feel sick, monitoring temperatures, regular and repeated cleaning and hygiene protocols, ensuring social distancing is in place including segregating work teams and staggering shifts to minimise interactions between teams, and the use of face masks. In addition, we closed our Melbourne-based head office for the duration of the stage 4 restrictions applicable in metropolitan Melbourne. Response Business Continuity Plans are in place and are being regularly reviewed to ensure they are fit for purpose in the current circumstances. Each site is unique in the services they provide and the customer requirements they meet. Should a site be directly impacted by COVID-19 one, or a number of strategies will be implemented dependant on the situation, including the number of people effected. The strategies may include:

  • Sourcing trained staff from other Cleanaway locations where permitted
  • Running additional shifts
  • Engaging trained labour hire workers and contractors
  • Completing services after hours or on weekends
  • Consider alternative service arrangements with our customers including reducing levels of service to focus on essential services
  • Working with competitors to ensure essential services are maintained

We are working closely with our key suppliers to ensure critical items such as Personal Protective Equipment and critical spares are available as required. In the event that one of our employees tests positive for COVID-19 we will work closely with the relevant health authorities to isolate the affected employee, conduct contact tracing thoroughly and quickly so that close contacts are isolated as soon as practically possible and a deep clean of the site is conducted to ensure the site is safe to resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so. Employees that suspect they may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19 or have any reason to be tested are being supported to isolate until they receive negative test results. 3. SUPPLIERS We are in contact with all critical suppliers to Cleanaway to ensure there is continuity of supply for critical raw materials and services. At this point we have no significant concerns. 4. TRAVEL AND SELF ISOLATION All work-related air travel is restricted to “Essential Travel” only and must be approved by an Executive Committee member. Travel will only be essential if it is needed to service our customers or to ensure the Health & Safety of our employees. Alternatives include telephone and video conferencing facilities. Where our operations involve cross border road travel, we follow the requirements of the relevant state authorities. 5. WORKING FROM HOME Cleanaway has flexible working arrangements in place. Where necessary, corporate and administrative employees can work from home. Technology has been enhanced to ensure a significant number of employees can work remotely effectively and efficiently. All our employees based in metropolitan Melbourne who can work from home are doing so.

Latest update

11/09/2020 Dear Customer, Thank you for working with Cleanaway for your waste management services. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the safety, health and wellbeing of all Cleanaway’s staff, contractors and members of the public remains paramount. Our COVID-19 Response Team meets regularly to ensure a timely and effective response to changes in the situation. You can read more about our Emergency Response Plan on our website. We want to assure you that Cleanaway will continue operating all waste services. Waste and liquids collection, treatment and disposal are essential services and a reliable service has never been more critical to the safe and healthy functioning of our communities. On Sunday 13 September at 11:59pm, metropolitan Melbourne moves to the “First Step” on the State Government’s Roadmap for Reopening. Waste services businesses can continue to operate but restrictions are in place to minimise risk of transmission. We have already implemented a number of measures to ensure that our employees’ interactions with customers, suppliers and each other minimises risk. These measures follow the directions, recommendations and guidelines of the relevant Federal and State Health Departments. Key measures that we have put in place include requiring our employees to stay home if they feel sick, monitoring temperatures, regular and repeated cleaning and hygiene protocols, segregating operational areas and staggering shift times to reduce cross-over, ensuring social distancing is in place and the use of face masks. In addition to the COVID-19 controls we have already put in place, we have created workforce groups that will work independent of other groups, including limiting interactions with other work shifts or other site teams. The majority of our services can occur without contact with members of the public and we ask our customers for their support in this. Please ensure we have access to complete our services. Please do not approach our drivers, and please wear a mask and maintain physical distance if communication is required. Cleanaway continues to be well prepared to maintain our essential services to our business customers and to households for the duration of the pandemic. We ask that the community keep separating recyclables and placing them in the correct bins ready for collection. If you need to adjust your services with us because your business has changed, please contact your account manager or call 13 13 39 and we can discuss options with you. Yours sincerely, Chris Avramopoulos Executive General Manager, Customer & Growth


4/08/2020 Dear Customer, Thank you for working with Cleanaway for your waste management services. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the safety, health and wellbeing of all Cleanaway’s staff, contractors and members of the public remains paramount. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Our COVID-19 Response Team meets regularly to ensure a timely and effective response to any circumstance which has the potential to disrupt our essential services to you. In addition to our Emergency Management Plan (EMP), which is available on this page under the Emergency Management Plan tab, we have developed and registered a COVID-19 Safety Management Plan for New South Wales and will register one for Victoria by Friday 7 August. These plans document the processes and controls we already have in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway provides will be maintained in the safest way possible and with minimal disruption. We have implemented several measures to ensure that our employees’ interactions with customers, suppliers and each other minimises risk. These measures follow the directions, recommendations and guidelines of the relevant Federal and State Health Departments. Key measures that we have put in place include requiring our employees to stay home if they feel sick, monitoring temperatures, regular and repeated cleaning and hygiene protocols, ensuring social distancing is in place and the use of face masks. Cleanaway continues to be well prepared to maintain our essential services to our business customers and to households for the duration of the pandemic. We ask that the community keep separating recyclables and placing them in the correct bins ready for collection. Once again, thank you for your continued co-operation. If you have any further questions about Cleanaway’s response to COVID-19, or our service to you, please contact your account manager or call 13 13 39. Yours sincerely, Chris Avramopoulos Executive General Manager, Customer & Growth


23/03/2020 Dear Customer, Thank you for working with Cleanaway for your waste management services. We want to assure you that Cleanaway will continue operating all waste services. Waste collection, treatment and disposal are essential services and a reliable service has never been more critical to the safe and healthy functioning of our communities. The ongoing health and safety of our employees, customers and the wider community is critically important to the way we operate. Cleanaway’s Emergency Management Plan (EMP) for COVID-19 is consistent with guidance provided by the Australian Government Department of Health, State Health Authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Comcare. The EMP is in place to ensure that the essential services Cleanaway delivers will be maintained in the safest way possible with minimal disruption. The geographical spread of our operations across Australia and New Zealand creates an inherent resilience to the impact of a disruption in a single location. For the latest updates on how Cleanaway is responding to the evolving situation, please visit our website: https://www.cleanaway.com.au/about-us/covid-19/ As the situation continues to unfold, we want to wish you, your family and your business the best during this challenging time. Take care. Yours sincerely, Chris Avramopoulos Executive General Manager, Customer & Growth Read the latest update from Cleanaway CEO and Managing Director here: https://www.cleanaway.com.au/sustainable-future/true-blue-vik-bansal/