Bin collections will continue as usual over the Christmas period

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day all fall on a weekend this year, and while this means the bank holidays have been moved to Monday 27 December, Tuesday 28 December and Monday 3 January, Newark and Sherwood District Council’s waste team will continue to work over these bank holidays.

The festive season can result in a lot of waste and confusion about what is recyclable or not and the District Council’s advice is below:

In the silver (recycling) bin:

• Cardboard boxes – if they don’t fit in the bin, please fold them up and place next to the bin and the waste team will collect them. Alternatively, please place your extra recycling in them and that will be taken too.
• Empty drinks cans, food tins – squash them down to create more space in your bin.
• Wrapping paper - if the paper can be scrunched into a ball and it holds, it can be recycled. Please also remove ribbons, bows and other decorations.
• Envelopes
• Plastic bottles, including their tops
• Greetings cards without decorative glitter
• Christmas TV guides, other paper and magazines

Common festive items that cannot be recycled:

• Metallic and foil wrapping paper - if the paper will remain in a scrunched ball it can be recycled but if it springs back and unfolds, it cannot be recycled.
• Metallic and glitter-decorated greetings cards – why not keep Christmas cards and re-use them next year as gift tags?
• Plastic disposable plates
• Paper plates – usually they have a plastic coating on them, or are contaminated with food.
• Paper towels and kitchen roll - however the cardboard tube can be recycled.
• Plastic Christmas trees
• Tinsel
• Kitchen foil, foil trays and mince pie cases
• Food
• Christmas lights and fairy lights
• Plastic inserts that come with toys
• Polystyrene and bubble wrap
• Christmas baubles
• Plastic and metal chocolate tins 
• Christmas jumpers – no clothing or textiles can be put in the silver bin, but they can be donated to local charity shops!

Useful tips:

• Wine bottles, beer bottles and glass jars – take to your nearest bottle bank.
• Batteries – put in a plastic bag on top of your green bin and we will recycle them.
• Natural Christmas trees – place in your brown garden bin if you have one or take to the recycling centre. Alternatively, the NSDC waste team can collect this from you for a £5 fee.  Book by calling 01636 650000!
• Broken, unwanted Christmas lights or other electrical items – do not bin them as they can be recycled at the recycling centres.
• To avoid excess food waste, visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for ideas for using up leftovers, tips on food storage and preparing correct portion sizes.
• Natural Christmas wreaths – can be put in the garden bin if not held together with any wire/metal/glue.

Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said “It’s really important for us all to recycle our Christmas waste where possible. We all want to enjoy ourselves over the festive period, but a large amount of waste is disposed during this time, including wrapping paper, food, old decorations etc. Being aware of what can, and cannot be recycled is a small but impactful change that means we can enjoy Christmas whilst being more environmentally friendly.” 

The Newark and Sherwood District Council main office at Castle House will have the following opening hour changes over the Christmas period:

• The offices will be closed Monday 27 December, Tuesday 28 December and Monday 3 January
• The offices will close at 16:00 on Friday 24 December and Friday 31 December

To check your bin collection days, visit: https://app.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/bincollection/.