Swindonians are being urged to prepare for permanent changes to their waste and recycling collection days, which take effect this week.
From Wednesday, 25th December, collection days will shift by two working days. The adjustment aims to manage the increased volume of waste and recycling generated during the festive season and avoid the logistical challenges caused by the bank holidays on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
After the usual pause in services over the holidays, collections will resume on Friday, 27th December, starting with homes originally scheduled for collection on Christmas Day. Residents expecting collections on Boxing Day will have their waste picked up on Monday, 30th December.
The changes also mark the beginning of a permanent schedule adjustment for 2025, meaning the new collection days will remain in place moving forward. Residents can check their updated schedules by visiting the Swindon Borough Council website and entering their postcode into the online search tool.
Recycling Over the Festive Period
With Christmas being the busiest time of year for waste and recycling, the Council is encouraging households to recycle as much as possible. Key materials to recycle include:
- Wrapping Paper: Only recyclable if it tears easily and holds a scrunched-up shape. Sticky tape, ribbons, and other decorations must be removed.
- Christmas Cards: Plain cards can be recycled, but glitter or embellishments render them non-recyclable and they should go in general waste.
- Food Waste: Items such as turkey bones, vegetable peelings, and plate scrapings can all be recycled in food waste bins.
Garden waste collections remain unaffected, but real Christmas trees will only be collected from residents subscribed to the garden waste service. Non-subscribers can take their trees to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) for recycling, ensuring all decorations, lights, and stands are removed beforehand.
Important Reminders
The black bag limit will remain in place over Christmas, and excess bags can only be disposed of at the HWRC, which requires residents to book in advance.
Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, commented:
“These changes are not just for the Christmas period but are permanent for 2025. With the festive season producing more waste than any other time of year, I encourage residents to recycle as much as possible, from wrapping paper to leftover food. Together, we can reduce landfill and make Swindon more sustainable.”
For more information, or to find out how to dispose of specific items, residents can use the Council’s waste wizard at www.swindon.gov.uk/wastewizard.
