Christmas recycling tips

Useful tips for recycling after Christmas.

Christmas cards Christmas trees Cans, glass, plastic bottles and foil Food waste Paper and wrapping

Christmas cards

Any embellishments such as ribbons or glitter cannot be recycled so should be removed first by simply tearing off that section and put in your general waste. Batteries should also be removed from musical cards and disposed of at battery recycling points.

Christmas trees

If you buy a tree that has been grown in a container or potted with its roots intact, plant it in your garden after Christmas. Alternatively, transfer it into a bigger pot so the roots have room to grow and use it again next year.

For cut trees, we offer a kerbside Christmas tree collection service. Please visit the collection days page, enter your street name below and refer to your street's Garden Waste collection date between Monday 6 January and Friday 31 January 2025.

Please note you do not have to have a Garden Waste contract for your Christmas tree to be collected.

If you no longer want your artificial tree, you may want to consider donating it to a local group or charity shop.

Cans, glass, plastic bottles and foil

Food and drink cans and aerosols, glass bottles, jars, plastic bottles and foil will be collected from home if you leave them out in your black box. Large empty biscuit or chocolate tins can also be recycled in your black box.

Food waste

Try buying loose fruit and vegetables and only the amount you need. Promotional offers at the supermarket can be tempting but can lead to spending more money and wasting more food.

Remember that you can donate any unwanted or unused shopping to a food bank or find someone nearby that wants it using a free app such as Olio. Find your nearest food bank.

Using your freezer to keep food for longer can help to avoid food becoming waste in the first place. If you are cooking for more people than usual a portion calculator may come in handy and also leftover food can be made into another delicious meal. For more advice visit Love Food Hate Waste.

For food waste that can't be eaten remember to use your food waste recycling collection service.

Paper and wrapping

Please recycle Christmas TV guides and other paper and magazines in your blue box or communal paper/card recycling bin.

Do not recycle plastic foil (metalised plastic) or plastic coated wrapping paper, however if it is in good condition, why not keep it to reuse?

Do not recycle used paper plates as these usually have a plastic coating, or will be contaminated with food.