16 Pittsburgh employees test positive for coronavirus

Sixteen City of Pittsburgh employees are off of work because of confirmed cases of covid-19, according to Mayor Bill Peduto’s office.

They include:

• Two environmental services (waste collection) employees.
• Seven police department employees
• Five fire bureau employees
• Two emergency medical services employees.

Workers are screened at the beginning of their shifts and the city is following safety guidelines issued by county, state and federal agencies.

The pandemic has caused some disruptions in recycling collection in the city’s East End neighborhoods because of staffing issues, the city said.

If recyclables or refuse placed at the curb hasn’t been picked up, residents should leave it at the curb until it is collected, the city said.

Because people have been staying home more during the pandemic, the amount of waste has increased.

There was a more than 500-ton increase in solid waste collected in April and a 40-ton increase in recycling in April compared to April 2019, the city said.

“We appreciate our residents’ patience as we prioritize the health and safety of our front-line workers,” Peduto said in a statement. “Our staff in Environmental Services and Public Safety are constantly out working in the field and are more vulnerable to exposure to the coronavirus and potential injury. We will continue to take precautions for their safety on the job to avoid the spread of illness to other staff or the public.”