Covid-19 Safety Measures
/Our statement on 22nd June 2020:
As you all know during lockdown we decided to move to home deliveries only to allow you, our customers, to stay home and stay safe. Offering plastic free deliveries in recycled paper bags and glass bottles enabled you to avoid single use plastic packaging while following lockdown advice and guidelines.
As lockdown eases we are beginning to venture back out in the van to allow you to refill once more but we want to make sure we have all the correct measures in place to keep you safe. We want to get back to refilling as soon as possible but do not want rush.
Today a statement addressing the use of reusables during the covid-19 outbreak has been released signed by over 100 scientists, academics, doctors and specialists in public health and food packaging safety around the world.
With concern that the environmental battle to reduce single-use plastic waste is losing ground over fears of virus contamination, the experts from 18 countries say reuseable containers do not increase the chance of virus transmission.
Evidence indicates that the virus spreads primarily from inhaling aerosolised droplets, rather than through contact with surfaces. The experts say that studies show the virus can remain infectious on surfaces for varying times depending on the material, so in order to prevent transmission as much as possible consumers should assume that any surface in a public space – reusable or disposable – could be contaminated with the virus. Scientists’ advice for consumers is to wash reusable containers thoroughly with hot water and detergent or soap.
As a best practice they recommend retailers employ contact-free systems for customers’ reusables which is why for the time being we are still only offering food in recycled paper bags. As we do the refilling for you there is a potential for cross-contamination from your container to us and our containers and therefore other customers after you - and for us to clean our hands in-between each container would massively slow the refill process down. We feel confident that we can manage this when doing refills on liquids as there is less contact between your container and ours and we can easily wipe down in between each customer.
So to clearly outline our best practice for when refilling at the van:
For customers:
Keep social distancing guidelines when queuing at the van
Only bring your liquid refill containers and ensure these are thoroughly cleaned and all component parts are taken apart (e.g lids off)
Food can still be purchased but will be given to you in a recycled paper bag - please do not bring your food refill containers
Cash and card will be accepted - we will have hand sanitiser available to use before and after each transaction
When home to be extra cautious you could wash the outside of your liquid refill containers and wash hands after handling food bags.
For us:
All serving and refill surfaces will be cleaned and wiped down at the start, end and in between each customer transaction
Hands will be washed / sanitised in between each customer
All containers, scoops and funnels in the van will cleaned at the end of each day, with liquid refill containers being cleaned in between each customer
Cloths and towels changed at the end of each day
In the van we use Bio D Multi Surface Sanitiser neat which meets BSEN 1276 standards for germ killing. We also have Bloomtown hand sanitiser available which has an alcohol content of 70%.
To read more on reusables and Covid-19:
Health Expert Statement Addressing Safety of Reusables and COVID-19
