Christmas Recycling and Rubbish Collections

Christmas 2023 Collections Postcard 1Christmas 2023 Collections Postcard 2

Extra waste

Please note that no additional general waste (refuse) placed by or on top of your grey refuse bin will be collected.
If you have any additional recycling, you can place it in a box or rigid container next to your blue-lidded wheeled bin for collection.

Please remember to put all your food waste in your food caddy for recycling

Batteries, electrical waste and textiles can be left on top of the lid/or by the side (not inside) of your blue-lidded bin, green bin or grey bin on your scheduled collection day for recycling

Click here to find out more information about what we collect.

Charity Christmas tree collections

If you would like to support local charities The Myton Hospices and Pass the Smile are collecting real Christmas trees between 13th and 15th January 2024 in return for a donation.

You can register for your tree to be collected by visiting https://www.mytonhospice.org/news/christmas-tree-collection-bookings/. Registrations close on Monday 8th January 2024.

Stratford-on-Avon District council will also be collecting Christmas trees on your scheduled collection between 8th and 19th January 2024

If your bin collection has been missed, please report it via our app or website within 48 hours of the revised collection date.

Christmas Recycling Hints and Tips

  • It's estimated that the UK uses 300,000 tonnes of card during the festive period, enough to cover Big Ben 260,000 times. Please ensure all cardboard is placed in your blue-lidded bin for recycling.
  • Starting to receive Christmas cards? Please remember to put the envelopes in your blue-lidded bin for recycling.
  • The Royal Mail estimates that it delivers 150 million cards during the Christmas period. Please put non-glittery cards in your blue-lidded bin for recycling. If cards are glittery, they can be re-used to make tags for next year.
  • We can only recycle non-glittery & non-plasticised wrapping paper. Please bear this in mind when shopping for gift wrap. To check if your paper is plasticised simply scrunch it in your hand if it springs back it is plasticised & can't be recycled.
  • It is estimated that over the Christmas period, the UK gets through 4,500 tons of foil. According to Recycle Now, recycling just six clean foil cases from mince pies in your blue-lidded bin will save enough energy to run a TV for 30 minutes!
  • Have your Christmas tree lights broken? SDC collect broken electronics that fit in a standard size carrier bag for recycling, just leave them next to or on top of your bin in a bag on your usual collection day. They can be left out with any bin.
  • Aluminium cans are easy to recycle. Each can you put in a recycling bin can be back on the shelf in 60 days. The average UK household uses over 600 aluminium cans per year. Times that by 27 million households, & you're looking at 16.2 billion cans!
  • All plastic bottles can be recycled, including shampoos, body washes, & cleaning products. If you've been cleaning the house ready for guest or if Santa brings you some toiletries for Christmas, please put the empty bottles in your blue-lidded bin.
  • It's estimated that UK consumers bin thirteen thousand three hundred fifty tonnes of glass over the festive period. Recycling one glass bottle, saves enough energy to run a 100W bulb for 4 hours.
  • We can't recycle crisp tubes or plasticised packets from Christmas snacks, from your blue-lidded. Please take them to a collection point. To find a local recycling point visit https://www.recyclenow.com/ or place them in your grey bin.
  • Christmas biscuit tins and sweet tubs are recyclable. Please shake out any crumbs from the biscuit tins then put the tins and tubs in your blue-lidded bin for recycling or save them for re-use.
  • Do you need to replace batteries in some of your Christmas decorations? SDC collect used batteries for recycling, just leave them next to or on top of your bin in a bag on your usual collection day. They can be left out with any bin.
  • Steel cans are 100% recyclable. They can be recycled into more steel cans, bicycles, and other everyday products. It's estimated that each year in the UK we use 13 billion steel cans, which placed end to end would stretch to the moon three times!
  • Christmas crackers can't be recycled because of their make up. I won't be using them this year but, if you do want to get some why not try reusable ones. They're available online & allow you to add your own gifts (& rubbish jokes!)
  • Every Christmas we throw out enough tin foil to cover Warwickshire twice! Recycle clean foil in your blue lidded bin along with metal cans, aerosols & biscuit tins.
  • Put extra recycling in a cardboard or plastic box with your blue lidded bin on your next collection. If you need recycling advice over the festive period, visit www.recyclenow.com/
  • There'll be lots of turkey bones and plate scrapings making an appearance over Christmas, please remember to put them in your food caddy for recycling

Avoid Christmas Food Waste

  • Portion planning is important, especially at Christmas when we tend to buy more luxury food items. To avoid cooking more than you need visit https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/portion-planner for guidance.
  • In the UK an estimated 2 million turkeys & 74 million mince pies will be binned. Follow the link to a guide to Christmas food planning by "Love Food, Hate Waste" https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/blog/ultimate-guide-christmas-food-planning
  • The main supermarkets will only be closed for one day! When buying fresh and chilled items look for the longest “use by" date to help avoid food waste over the festive season.
  • It's a good idea to make space in the freezer to ensure you've got as much room as possible to freeze Christmas leftovers, if there are any! From cooked turkey to cheese there are so many freezable items, it's a great way to reduce food waste.

Contact: The Streetscene team

Last updated on 19/12/2023