East Riding of Yorkshire Council has said that bin collection days will change over the festive period. According to the council, more waste is generated during Christmas and New Year than at any other period.
The council is reminding residents that the majority of festive waste – such as Christmas cards and cardboard boxes – can easily be recycled. And leftover food can be emptied into your kitchen caddies and tipped into your brown bin where it will be recycled into compost.
However, some items will need more care when recycling. For items such as batteries from toys and Christmas lights, check your local supermarket to see if they have a battery collection point.
Festive bin collections and recycling
Bin collection dates will change over Christmas and New Year. Normal collections will resume from Monday, January 12.
To stay up to date, residents are encouraged to get the East Riding of Yorkshire Council app from your app store. You can also visit www.eastriding.gov.uk/environment/bins-rubbish-recycling.
According to the council, household waste recycling sites are open from 10am to 5pm each day, but will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. They will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
What can be recycled?
Real Christmas trees can be recycled by placing them next to brown bins on their collection days in January or taken to household waste recycling sites. You must remove all lights and decorations.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said that blue bins can be used to recycle Christmas cards, envelopes, cardboard and cardboard boxes, plastic tubs and trays, all glass and plastic bottles and jars, cans, tins, aerosols, tin foil, foil trays, books, newspapers, magazines, juice cartons, egg boxes. Waste must be empty, clean and placed loose in the blue bin.
Blue bins can take paper-based wrapping paper. If it holds its shape when scrunched then it is paper and can go in the blue bin – but you should try to remove tape.
Brown bins can be used to recycle all cooked and uncooked food waste, including plate scrapings, peelings, meat, turkey and other bird carcasses, meat bones, eggshells, tea bags and small amounts of sauces, creams and soups. Any garden waste can also go in the brown bin.
Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Residents in the East Riding are officially among the top recyclers in the country and their support in using the right bins for their rubbish this holiday is as important as ever. Our bin crews do an amazing job throughout the year and especially over the busy Christmas period. They deserve a big thank you.”