It’s the season of giving – and recycling! As usual, bin collections across Buckinghamshire will be operating to a revised timetable over the Christmas Holiday period. As we produce around 30% more waste during the holiday period, it’s important to reduce, reuse and recycle while we enjoy the seasonal festivities. You can make good use of leftover food, donate unwanted gifts and recycle Christmas cards and other Christmas packaging – there is some great and cost-effective ways to be environmentally friendly over Christmas.
Here are some Christmas items you can recycle at home for a greener Christmas:
- Christmas cards and crackers (without the snap)
- Paper hats
- Non-glittery wrapping paper
- Chocolate boxes
Please ensure you fold and flatten cardboard to a manageable size and place any extra cardboard securely next to your recycling container. Please also remove any other packaging, like polystyrene or Sellotape!
After the festive season is over, you can also dispose of your Christmas tree, wreaths, holly and mistletoe with our garden waste collection service. If you are a garden waste customer, you can simply remove all decorations, cut the tree into smaller pieces, and place the pieces in your garden waste bin. If you are not currently subscribed to our garden waste collection service, you can either take the tree to your nearest household recycling centre or see if there is a local charity collection near you.
Buckinghamshire’s Household Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
All other days over the Christmas period, whether Bank Holidays or not, our sites will operate the usual opening days and hours (9am-4pm). Check online before you visit to confirm opening hours and avoid the queues. You can visit our website for all the latest Household Recycling Centre information.
During the festive period, bin collections across Buckinghamshire will be operating with a slightly altered timetable. Collections due to take place on Monday 26 December (Boxing Day) will move to Wednesday 28 December. Collections due to take place on Tuesday 27 December (Christmas Bank Holiday) will move to Thursday 29 December, and collections from Monday 2 January (New Year Bank Holiday) will be collected Wednesday 4 January. Please check the revised timetable below and present any bins or containers by 6:30am on the revised collection day.
Garden waste collection service will also operate with an alternative timetable, as from Monday 12 December to Sunday 22 January 2023 (inclusive) our garden waste collection service will be suspended for six weeks. Collections will resume from Monday 23 January 2023.
Christmas bank holiday collections:
| Usual collection day | Revised collection day |
| Monday 26 December (Boxing Day) | Wednesday 28 December |
| Tuesday 27 December (Christmas Bank Holiday) | Thursday 29 December |
| Wednesday 28 December | Friday 30 December |
| Thursday 29 December | Saturday 31 December |
| Friday 30 December | Tuesday 3 January |
| Monday 2 January (New Year Bank Holiday) | Wednesday 4 January |
| Tuesday 3 January | Thursday 5 January |
| Wednesday 4 January | Friday 6 January |
| Thursday 5 January | Saturday 7 January |
| Friday 6 January | Monday 9 January |
| Monday 9 January | Tuesday 10 January |
| Tuesday 10 January | Wednesday 11 January |
| Wednesday 11 January | Thursday 12 January |
| Thursday 12 January | Friday 13 January |
| Friday 13 January | Saturday 14 January |
For more information including how to check your Bank Holiday bin collections and many useful recycling tips, you can visit: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/bank-holiday-bins
You can also follow @BucksCouncil to keep up-to-date with the latest recycling & waste and bin collection information on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
