Christmas tips: reduce, reuse and recycle

We collect recycled food waste every week for free from most flats and street-level properties. 

Over 90% of all households have this service and the rest will be added soon.

We're still getting this service up and running for some flats. Look out for your food waste caddy and communal recycling food waste bins or request them.

Some food waste is unavoidable, but it’s easy to recycle. 

Put plate scrapings, fruit and vegetable peelings, fish and meat bones and teabags in your kitchen caddy then in your outdoor food waste bin.

See our food waste pages for more information, including ways to reduce your food waste.

Stop producing waste by:

• writing present lists to prevent unwanted or duplicated gifts, saving you time and money
• sending e-cards instead of paper cards
• giving away unwanted presents to a local hospital, play centre, charity shop or school, help a good cause while clearing clutter

Reuse by:

• turning last year's cards into gift tags, or Christmas tree decorations (good for glittery items which cannot be recycled)
• reuse old cardboard packaging to box awkwardly shaped gifts, for easier wrapping
• taking reusable bags when Christmas shopping, to save buying plastic bags while disguising what presents you’ve bought

As the festive season approaches, let’s unwrap what should and should not go in the recycling.

Nice List

Yes please:

• empty sweet tins
• cardboard gift boxes
• Christmas cards (without glitter)
• paper wrapping paper (non-foil)
• glass bottles
• empty plastic bottles
• clean foil
• tins and cans

Naughty List

No thank you:

• glittery or foil wrapping paper
• tinsel and baubles
• Christmas lights and electrical items
• batteries
• plastic toys
• polystyrene
• food-soiled packaging
• artificial Christmas trees

We’ll collect and recycle your real Christmas tree for free! 

Trees should not be taller than 5ft. You should chop any taller trees into smaller pieces.

Remove all decorations and the pot or stand and recycle it by:

• putting your tree with your garden waste containers on collection day
• requesting a free collection if you do not have a garden waste collection
• taking it to our Reuse and Recycling Centre
• leaving it outside your block at the kerbside if you live in a flat (not in with your communal bins)

Book tree collection

Some collections over the Christmas period will run a day behind.

Check your bin day and see new collection times in the table. Collections will return to normal after 4 January.