Bin collection days to change over festive period
CHRISTMAS is a time to be with family and friends, and for Reading’s bin collectors, that is especially true.
The teams are on the streets day-in, day-out across the year, so will be taking a well-earned break on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
There is a knock-on effect to the town’s waste collections for the next three weeks, with collection days changing.
The system reverts to normal on Monday, January 15.
Essentially, for Christmas and New Year weeks, collection days move back two days, with bins taken every day bar holidays and Sundays.
For the second week in January, collections are essentially a day behind.
On the first collection after Christmas, households can leave up to two additional bags of domestic waste if presented in bin bags presented next to the waste bin.
Additional recycling can be left in a cardboard box next to the red bin all year-round, but residents are asked to try to keep any extra recycling they put out dry and not leave it out when it rains, as wet paper and cardboard cannot be processed.
Cllr Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said: “Recent analysis shows that over two-thirds of what residents put in their grey bins could be recycled instead.
“Thirty percent more waste is generated at Christmas time than during the rest of the year, so it’s more important than ever to recycle that extra volume to reduce our grey bin waste.
“Our weekly food waste collections mean that all your plate scrapings, vegetable peelings, turkey bones and tea bags, along with any excess food purchases that go unused can go in your food caddy to be recycled instead of going in general waste.
“Additionally, most wrapping paper, cardboard, cards, tins and plastic containers from sweets and chocolates can go in your recycling bin.
“This holiday season, just taking that extra second to properly recycle excess holiday waste is the best Christmas gift of all for our planet and for each other.”
Wrapping paper can be checked to see if it is recyclable by scrunching it up.
If it stays scrunched, it is recyclable. If it unfolds, or springs back, it probably contains metallised plastic film and cannot be recycled and will need to go in your general waste bin.
Christmas cards and cardboard packaging that comes with many presents can also be recycled in your red bin.
There are some other changes to the systems.
Garden waste collections will be subject to a two-week Christmas pause from Christmas Day through to Tuesday, January 9, which is the revised collection date for collections due Monday, January 8. They will remain a day behind that week, returning to normal on Monday January 15.
Likewise, Reading Borough Council’s bulky waste collection scheme is being paused from Christmas Day until Tuesday, January 2.
Christmas trees can be taken to recycling points set up around the town from January 4 through to 26.
The re3 Recycling Centres in Smallmead and Bracknell will be closed from 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
For doorstep collections, the Christmas collection days for recycling, food waste and general waste are as follows:
CHRISTMAS WEEK – Two days behind
Christmas Day (Monday, December 25) will be collected on Wednesday, December 27
Boxing Day (Tuesday, December 26), will be collected on Thursday, December 28 Wednesday, December 27, will be collected on Friday, December 29 Thursday, December 28, will be collected on Saturday, December 30
Friday, December 29 will be collected on Tuesday, January 2
NEW YEAR WEEK – Two days behind
New Year’s Day (Monday,
January 1) will be collected on Wednesday, January 3
Tuesday, January 2 will be collected on Thursday, January 4 Wednesday, January 3 will be collected on Friday, January 5 Thursday, January 4 will be collected on Saturday, January 6 Friday, January 5 will be collected on Monday, January 8
FROM MONDAY, JANUARY 8 – One day behind
Monday, January 8 will be collected on Tuesday, January 9 Tuesday, January 9 will be collected on Wednesday, January 10
Wednesday, January 10 will be collected on Thursday, January
11
Thursday, January 11 will be collected on Friday, January 12 Friday, January 12 will be collected on Saturday, January 13.