Residents across Hart and Basingstoke and Deane are being reminded that there will be changes to bin collection days over the festive period.
Waste and recycling collection days will change for three weeks with no collections taking place on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Unless adverse weather affects bin rounds, collections will return to normal from Monday 15 January 2024. The crews will take extra rubbish sacks on the first collection after Christmas only and as usual they will pick up extra recycling too.
Normal collection date Festive collection date
Monday 25 December Wednesday 27 December
Tuesday 26 December Thursday 28 December
Wednesday 27 December Friday 29 December
Thursday 28 December Saturday 30 December
Friday 29 December Tuesday 2 January
Monday 1 January Wednesday 3 January
Tuesday 2 January Thursday 4 January
Wednesday 3 January Friday 5 January
Thursday 4 January Saturday 6 January
Friday 5 January Monday 8 January
Monday 8 January Tuesday 9 January
Tuesday 9 January Wednesday 10 January
Wednesday 10 January Thursday 11 January
Thursday 11 January Friday 12 January
Friday 12 January Saturday 13 January
There’s no limit on the amount residents can recycle and any extra recycling that cannot fit in the recycling bin can be put into CLEAR sacks next to it for collection. In dry weather, residents can leave large, flattened, cardboard boxes (max 1m x 1m) next to their recycling bin but the polystyrene and plastic packaging must be removed.
There are lots of other items that can be recycled all year-round including paper, cardboard and magazines, food tins including biscuit and sweet tins, drinks cans, aerosols and plastic bottles.
Brown wrapping paper with any ribbons removed can be recycled. All other Christmas wrapping paper cannot and needs to go into the waste bin. Christmas cards can be recycled but only if they do not contain glitter, ribbons or bows.
Garden waste collections will take a two-week break as usual, stopping after Friday 22 December and restarting from Monday 8 January 2024 in Basingstoke and the following week in Hart. Unlike waste and recycling there are no changes to residents’ collection days. Garden waste customers can leave their real Christmas trees out for collection in the new year, although trees over six feet tall should be cut in half and all decorations removed.
Residents across both Hart and Basingstoke and Deane can also take their real Christmas trees to collection points in their areas.
Hart District Council Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Corporate Services Councillor Richard Quarterman said: “Most people have more waste than normal over the Christmas period, from wrapping paper to Christmas trees. You can leave excess waste next to your bin for the first collection after Christmas, and extra recycling at any time.
“If you’re a garden waste customer, please remember this service includes Christmas tree collection, or use one of our free drop-off points across the district so your tree can be recycled.”
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing Councillor Cllr Laura James said “We want to remind residents that there will be changes to bin collections over the festive break and into January. We encourage residents to make a note of the dates to avoid missing a collection during this time or check their dates on our website if they are unsure.
“We would encourage residents to recycle as much as they can and any extra recycling that cannot fit in the recycling bin can be put into clear sacks next to it for collection.”
There is more information on festive bin collections on the councils’ websites at www.hart.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/christmas-2023 or www.basingstoke.gov.uk/festive-bin-collections