Changes to recycling and waste services this Christmas
How to recycle this festive season, including bin collection dates and recycling centre opening times.
Christmas bin collection dates
To make way for the festive Bank Holidays, bin collections will be operating to a revised schedule.
Revised bin collection dates
See the below table for revised collection dates over the festive period.
| Normal day | Revised day |
|---|---|
|
Wednesday 25 December 2024 (Christmas Day) |
Friday 27 December 2024 |
|
Thursday 26 December 2024 (Boxing Day) |
Saturday 28 December 2024 |
| Friday 27 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 |
| Monday 30 December 2024 | Tuesday 31 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 31 December 2024 | Thursday 2 January 2025 |
|
Wednesday 1 January 2025 (New Year Bank Holiday) |
Friday 3 January 2025 |
| Thursday 2 January 2025 | Saturday 4 January 2025 |
| Friday 3 January 2025 | Monday 6 January 2025 |
| Monday 6 January 2025 | Tuesday 7 January 2025 |
| Tuesday 7 January 2025 | Wednesday 8 January 2025 |
| Wednesday 8 January 2025 | Thursday 9 January 2025 |
| Thursday 9 January 2025 | Friday 10 January 2025 |
| Friday 10 January 2025 | Saturday 11 January 2025 |
How to dispose of your Christmas tree, wreaths, holly or mistletoe
Garden waste suspension
Garden waste collections are suspended this year between 16 December 2024 and 24 January 2025. Regular collections will start again on your usual collection day from week commencing Monday 27 January 2025.
Planned collections may be subject to change due to adverse weather conditions. Follow @BucksCouncil to keep up to date with the latest collection information on Facebook and Twitter.
Household recycling centres
The sites will close on:
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Year’s Day
All other days over the Christmas period, whether Bank Holidays or not, the sites will operate the usual opening days and hours.
Find out more on our Household Recycling Centre webpages.
Recycling over the Christmas period
Over the festive season, we produce around 30% more waste so it’s even more important to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Find out what can and cannot be recycled by visiting our Waste Wizard or check out Buckinghamshire Recycles website for tips to reduce waste over the Christmas period.
Remember that you can recycle items such as:
- christmas cards
- crackers (no snaps)
- paper hats
- non-glittery wrapping paper
- chocolate boxes
- non Christmas items such as cleaning bottles and shampoo bottles
If you are worried about wasting food, the Love Food Hate Waste website has advice on how to reduce waste and reuse festive food.
Try using a Portion planner as well to reduce your Christmas shopping bill and your food waste.
Extra recycling
If you have too much recycling for your bin at home, you can visit your nearest household recycling centre. If you cannot get to the recycling centre, the collection crews will take extra recycling.
Please flat pack cardboard, keeping it below 1m square and squash other recycling to help fit more on the recycling vehicles. If you live:
- in the Aylesbury Vale area, put your extra recycling in a cardboard box, or clear plastic bag
- in the Chiltern, Wycombe or South Bucks areas, put extra recycling in a reusable container