Date issued: 10 December 2018
Residents are being reminded that their recycling and rubbish collection days will change over Christmas and New Year and are advised to check their recycling calendars for their collection dates.
During Christmas week, there will be no collections on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Collections which would normally fall on Christmas Day will be one day earlier on Christmas Eve, whilst Wednesday to Friday’s collections will be one day later than usual.
During the week commencing 1 January all collections will be one day later than normal.
In Colchester, different recycling and waste types are collected on alternating weeks, known as Green and Blue Weeks. The order of these will remain the same.
For flat residents with kerbside black bag collections which would usually fall on Christmas Eve, these collections will take place on 22 December, followed by 31 December. Flat residents with communal collections will continue to receive weekly collections over this period.
The Council is also encouraging people to watch what they waste over Christmas. Nationally, we create 30 per cent more waste than usual over the Christmas period. However, most of what is used at Christmas can be recycled:
- Wrapping paper, cards and envelopes can all be placed in the clear paper recycling bag, unless it's covered in glitter or metallic foil. Ribbons, bows and other adornments must be removed too.
- Glass bottles and cans can all be placed in green recycling boxes.
- Turkey bones and other scraps can go into the food waste caddy. Many leftovers can be frozen or reused.
- Christmas trees can be recycled through St Helena Hospice's Tree-cycle scheme by signing up here, or sawn up and placed in the garden waste sacks/bin.
- Many plastic items such as bottles and packaging can be recycled.
A full list of what items can and cannot be recycled in the borough is available online at colchester.gov.uk/recycling.
Councillor Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, said: “Due to the days the Christmas and New Year bank holidays fall on this year, our recycling and rubbish collections dates are changing during 22 December – 5 January. We’re therefore encouraging residents to check their recycling calendar early so they know when their collections are in this period.
“We would also encourage everyone to be mindful of the environment this Christmas and think about the items they purchase, whether they’re really needed and, if so, if they can be recycled or reused.”
Collection days for householders will return to normal on Tuesday 8 January.
To find your recycling and rubbish collection calendar, enter your postcode at www.colchester.gov.uk/recycling.
Page last reviewed: 10 December 2018