Cornwall Christmas Rubbish and Recycling Collection Dates Announced

Cornwall’s festive period will bring several changes to food waste, rubbish, recycling and garden waste collections, with no pick ups taking place on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

What’s Changing and When

Crews will not be out on Thursday 25th December or Friday 26th December so they can spend time with their families. Anyone whose collections fall between 25th December and 2nd January will have their pick up on a different day.

Here’s how the revised schedule works according to Cornwall Council:

Collections between Monday 29th December and Friday 2nd January will run one day later than usual.

Christmas Trees and Extra Recycling

Cornwall Council will only collect real Christmas trees from households that have subscribed to the garden waste collection service. More details are available on the council’s garden waste collections page.

People can compost trees at home or take them to a local Household Waste and Recycling Centre for composting. The council advises making the most of the trip by taking other items too.

Many of the extra items people throw away at Christmas can be recycled. That includes plastic sweet tubs, tins, glass bottles, plastic advent calendar trays and cardboard boxes. Christmas cards, envelopes and wrapping paper without foil or glitter can also be recycled as long as decorations like ribbon, foil, glitter, plastic film, tinsel and bubble wrap are removed.

A full guide to what goes in each recycling bag or box can be found on the council’s recycling container information page.

A Safety Warning About Batteries

Residents should not put batteries in rubbish or recycling. When crushed, they can start fires in lorries or at waste transfer stations. Batteries, including button types and battery packs, can be taken to local Household Waste and Recycling Centres or many supermarkets. Recycling locations can be found at Recycle Now.

HWRC Opening Hours

Cornwall’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres will open from 9am to 4pm throughout the festive period, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The nearest centre can be found on the council’s HWRC page.