Published on 4th December 2024

A recycling bin outside a home during winter.

This Christmas there are changes waste and recycling collections in Cheltenham to allow teams to have more time off with their families.

Residents can place any extra refuse in black bags and sorted recycling in carrier bag sized plastic bags next to your bins at the kerbside on the day of their updated collection.

At this time of year, many households produce more waste and recycling from wrapping paper, cards, and other gift packaging. You can recycle these materials yourself at home, or by making use of our waste and recycling services.

Cllr Izaac Tailford, cabinet member for waste, recycling and public realm, said: “We are doing things a bit differently this year and trialling a different approach to allow our waste and recycling teams to enjoy some proper time off, and celebrate Christmas with their families.

“They work hard for our town all year round, including catch up collections after bank holidays, so I am glad we could offer them a real break.

“These changes will also allow all collections to get back to normal much more quickly than in previous years, with collections starting again immediately after Christmas week when the volumes of waste and recycling are at their highest.

“We appreciate some residents will have to wait for a collection, however any extra waste and recycling can be presented on the next scheduled collection as we will take extra waste and recycling. You can also take any additional recycling to bring banks and household recycling centres, and I would encourage all residents to use food waste caddies at home as much as possible.

“Please do recycle as much as you can over Christmas, as the more we recycle, the more our service provider Plan-B gives us in donations to support Cheltenham’s Foodbanks, which is really needed, particularly at this time of year.”

Christmas and new year revised waste and recycling collection dates

Please note that in some areas refuse and recycling collections take place as early as 7am so please make sure that your bins and boxes are presented at the kerbside by this time. Full in information is available at cheltenham.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling.

Christmas and new year bank holiday collection changes:

Normal collection day Revised collection day
Monday 23 December 2024 Monday 23 December 2024
Tuesday 24 December 2024 Tuesday 24 December 2024
Wednesday 25 December 2024 Wednesday 8 January 2025
Thursday 26 December 2024 Thursday 9 January 2025
Friday 27 December 2024 Friday 10 January 2025
Monday 30 December 2024 Monday 30 December 2024
Tuesday 31 December 2024 Tuesday 31 December 2024
Wednesday 1 January 2025 Thursday 2 January 2025
Thursday 2 January 2025 Friday 3 January 2025
Friday 3 January 2025 Saturday 4 January 2025

Collections from flats and bin stores for 25, 26 and 27 December will have an extra collection which will take place the following week on 30 and 31 December.

Normal collections resume Monday 6 January 2025.

Garden waste collections will be suspended at the end of Friday 20 December 2024 and will resume from Monday 20 January 2025. Please note the above dates are subject to change.

For our Swindon Road Household Recycling Centre Christmas/winter opening hours visit: www.cheltenham.gov.uk/bank-holiday-collections.

For information about how to recycle Christmas trees (either at the kerbside, at drop-off points or at the household recycling centre), Christmas lights, cards, wrapping and other Christmas items, visit our webpages: cheltenham.gov.uk/recycling-at-christmas.

Excess recycling can be taken to one of the bring bank sites located around the town or to our Swindon Road recycling centre.

For media enquiries, contact: communications, telephone 01242 264231, email [email protected].

Notes

See our short video recycling to support Cheltenham’s foodbank with Plan B, with Cllr Iain Dobie: Recycle more to support Cheltenham's Foodbank.

For information about the planned closure of the Swindon Road recycling centre in January 2025, visit our webpages here: www.cheltenham.gov.uk/recycling-centre.