While the festive period brings joy and happiness to kids, it becomes a real headache for adults looking to rid themselves of excess packaging, so here is a guide to bin collections in your area over the Christmas period.
Christmas brings the excitement of gifts and presents under the tree, neatly wrapped with care for that someone special.
However, by the end of the morning, households tend to be littered with viciously torn wrapping paper as children charge through their pile of presents.
It then falls to the adults to tidy up and dispose of the crumpled paper and packaging that used to hold shiny-new gifts.
Here is a list of changes and information regarding bin collections and recycling centres over the festive period:
Dreaming of a green Christmas? Here’s how to make it happen
Highland bin schedule
Highland Council has confirmed that there will be no changes to the bin collection schedule for both households and businesses.
The schedule can be found by clicking here.
Recycling centres across the Highlands will close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and again on January 1 and 2. All other days the centres will revert to their usual schedules.
The majority of the centres will have facilities specifically for household waste and also excess cardboard and paper which can be recycled.
Aberdeen and Shire bin schedule
Aberdeen City Council has confirmed that there have been no changes to their usual bin collection schedule over the festive period.
However, potential disruption could be caused by bad weather and collections teams working at a reduced capacity over Christmas.
Aberdeenshire Council has confirmed that bin collections will continue on the public holidays on December 27 and 28 2021 and January 3 and 4 2022.
They have also warned there may be disruption in service delivery in some areas which could result in bins not being collected on those days.
Recycling centres in Shire will also be closed on both Christmas and Boxing Day and will close early at 3pm on Christmas eve. All centres will also be closed on January 1 and 2 and closing at 3pm on New Year’s eve.
If you are planning to visit a recycling centre during this time you must book a slot to access the site.
Shetland Islands bin schedule
In Bressay, East Mainland, Lerwick and Scalloway all normal collection days have been brought forward by one day.
This means bin collections due to be carried out on Friday, December 24 will be collected on Thursday, December 23.
The grey-lidded bin for plastics and cans due to be collected on Monday, December 27 will be collected on Tuesday, December 28. All other dates are normal.
From Monday, January 3 the normal household collection service will resume.
Collection days for the blue-lidded paper bin for Central, North, South and West Mainland will be brought forward by one day week commencing December 20.
Residents whose non-recyclable rubbish is collected on Monday, December 27 will now be collected on Tuesday, December 28.
Collection days for Yell, Unst, Fetlar and Whalsay will be as normal.
Gremista Waste Management Facility will be closed between December 25 and 28 and again between January 1 and 4 and will return to normal operation on January 5.
Moray bin schedule
Moray Council has confirmed that no green bin collections will take place on December 27 or January 3.
Kinloss/Findhorn refuse will now be collected on December 28, Elgin on December 29, Lhanbryde on December 30 and Dufftown on December 31.
Collections due to take place on January 3, will now be January 4 in the Clochan area, January 5 in Lossiemouth and January 6 in Forres.
From Monday, January 10, residents wanting to dispose of a real Christmas tree may leave it out alongside the garden waste bin for collection.
Recycling centres in Moray will be closed December 25 to 27 and also January 1 to 3.
Western Isles bin schedule
Household waste will be collected across the Western Isles as scheduled with no planned disruption over the Christmas period.
The Creed Park Recycling Centre on the Isle of Lewis will be closed between December 25 and 28 and from January 1 to 4.
To find out the collection schedule for Uist and Barra click here. For Lewis and Harris click here.
Orkney Islands bin schedule
Bin collections across Orkney will be pushed back a day if your collections occur on December 27 and 28 and January 3 and 4
There will be no household recycling collections between and including December 25 and January 4, as all available staff are occupied with the statutory waste collections and trade recycling.
Household waste and recycling centres at Hatston, Garson, Bossack and St Margarets Hope will be open normally between December 29 and 30 for excess Christmas waste.
Recycling centres will resume normal operating hours from January 5 and bin collections will resume from January 10.
To find out how to make this festive period more eco-conscious click here.