We want to provide you with some guidance over the festive season on how to recycle smart and avoid untidy bin stores and contaminated waste.
Did you know, it costs at least £125 to carry out the below works:
- Clearing a fly-tip
- Emptying the bin if the council refuse to empty it due to misuse
- Clearing the bin store if it has been misused
These costs are then recharged to you through your service charges.
What shall I do with my rubbish this festive season?
The festive period is a time to spend with friends and family, but it’s also the time when we overindulge and create the most waste. Whether it’s lots of packaging from food and presents, the amount of wrapping paper we use, or what is left behind after a house full of visitors, the waste can be endless. However, if we are mindful, we should be able to prevent some of the above from happening or at least minimise the effects on the local community.
When should I put my bins out for collection?
Many local authorities will have made changes to their rubbish collections over the Christmas period.
You can find out who your local authority is by entering your postcode here. This will help you determine if you are affected by any changes and when to put your bin out for collection.
We want your home and community to be a nice place to live and we ask that you respect where you live and your neighbours.
Please do not leave rubbish in the communal areas and keep the bin store area tidy (if you have one). If the bin is already full, please wait until the bins are empty.
Food
Please ensure you put food waste in your general waste, not your recycling bags. Food can leak and spill, ruining good recycling. There are also many great ways to make the most of unused food, such as donating it, freezing any leftovers, composting your food scraps, or using a food waste bin. You could find some food waste recipes and make the festive food last well into the new year.
Electrical items
Please do not put electrical items in your household waste or recycling bins. These can be taken to your local household recycling centre, which you can find out more about here.
Batteries
Batteries can explode when compacted so these must be disposed of safely. Please don’t put batteries in your household waste or recycling bins. Instead, you’ll find disposal points at local supermarkets and your household recycling centre.
Recycling
Soft plastics– We know plastics can be confusing. The general rule is that if you can crumple it easily in your hand, it can’t be recycled. So crisp packets and the seal on tops of ready meals go in the rubbish. But trays and punnets can be recycled. Remember to give them a rinse first.
Christmas cards and wrapping paper – Many Christmas cards can be recycled, but they must go in the rubbish if they have glitter. Many retailers are now selling recyclable wrapping paper, so look out for that when you’re shopping. If paper is shiny or sparkly, that tends to mean there are sneaky soft plastics in there. Anything glittering goes in the rubbish.
Check if wrapping paper can be recycled; try the scrunch test:
- Scrunch the paper into a tight ball.
- Open your hand to see if the paper stays scrunched together or bounces back open.
- If the paper stays scrunched in a ball, it can be recycled.
- If it bounces back open, it likely contains foil or plastic and cannot be recycled.
Decorations – Sparkly decorations, wrapping paper, or cards with shiny metallic decorations or glitter cannot be recycled. They should go in your household waste bin or be taken to your local household waste recycling centre. Paper ornaments, cards, and paper can be recycled at home if there’s no glitter!
Real Christmas trees
If you have a real Christmas tree, composting is the best thing for it and for the environment. That might not be possible at home, but many local authorities run schemes, so please look at their website for the best way to dispose of them.
Alternatively, EACH offers Christmas tree collection and disposal (for real trees only) across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. For a small donation, you can register your tree here for it to be collected and disposed of correctly.
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