Bin collections are set to resume in Uttlesford today, after they were suspended due to an 'operational failing'.
Residents were left with their bins overflowing after Uttlesford District Council's transport manager left, and the licence was not renewed before their replacement was up and running.
Cllr Neil Reeve, portfolio holder for the environment and climate change, apologised to affected residents for the "unacceptable" error.
Today the council has received confirmation that the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has granted an interim operator's licence, which means waste collections vehicles and crews can get back on the road.
This week's priority is to clear the backlog of non-recycling and food waste caddies in areas that have not had a collection since Wednesday, January 24.
Residents whose bins have not yet been emptied are asked to leave them out.
For the past few weeks, the council has been operating a partial collection service with assistance from Widdington Recycling and Braintree District Council's in-house waste crews.
The council will continue to call on interim support to help them get on top of backlogs, as well as to help resume their usual collections on the regular scheduled days.
Next week there will be a full collection service to empty recycling bins and food waste caddies. In addition to the normal vehicles and crews they will be using extra trucks and staff to provide capacity to work through the backlog.
The council has said they are also working on a plan to resume garden waste collections, and will provide an update shortly.
A statement from Cllr Reeve, leader of the council Cllr Petrina Lees and chief executive Peter Holt said: "Please bear with us as we clear the backlog over the coming days and begin to return the service to normal - there is more rubbish to collect because of the disruption which means our crews may get round a little more slowly and the vehicles will fill up more quickly resulting in more trips to empty them.
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"We sincerely apologise for the disruption to this important service and thank you for your patience.
"There will be a further update later with details of where we will be collecting over the coming days.
"We currently have crews out in Farnham, Manuden and surrounding areas, Broxted, Duton Hill, Lindsell and Molehill Green, as well as in Saffron Walden and Stansted to complete any outstanding collections."
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