With the exchanging of gifts comes a certain amount of excess packaging and waste, which quickly fills every home’s wheelie bins.
Once the presents have been opened and bins are overflowing with crumpled wrapping paper this Christmas, the question becomes what to do with the rubbish.
Here at The Press and Journal, we have got you covered with an updated list of recycling centre opening times and the varied bin collections taking place over the festive period.
Highland Council has already urged residents to try and cut down on waste and “consume responsibly” over the Christmas period.
This has been reiterated by Aberdeenshire Council who has warned probable disruption in some parts of the Shire could result in late bin collections.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “Our hard-working household waste collection teams are focused on continuing to provide a great service over the festive period but there may be disruption in some areas, which could result in bins not being collected on certain days.
“We know that the festive period can lead to extra waste, and we would encourage everyone to continue recycling as much as possible.
“That includes making good use of your green caddy for all food waste. Remember, peelings and bones can go into food waste too.
“If you find yourself accumulating additional recycling and waste items, please remember you can dispose of additional recycling or landfill waste at a household recycling centre.”
To help, we have compiled a handy wrap-up of all the Christmas opening times for recycling centres and bin collections.
Aberdeenshire
Household waste and recycling collections due on Tuesday December 27, and January 3 will be collected as usual.
- Bin collections due on Boxing Day will be moved to Friday December 30.
- Bin collections due on Monday January 2 will be moved to Friday January 6.
If a collection is missed due to disruption, residents are being urged to wait until the next collection rather than putting recyclable materials in black bags.
- Recycling centres will close at 3.30pm on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay.
- Recycling centres will be shut Christmas Day, Boxing Day, January 1 and January 2.
Portlethen and Laurencekirk recycling centres will also be shut on Tuesday December 27 and Tuesday January 3.
More information can be found on the council website or downloading the MyAberdeenshire app.
Aberdeen
There will be no mixed recycling collections on Monday, December 26 and Monday January 2. However, general waste and brown bin collections will continue to operate as normal.
Aberdeen City Council posted on their website that Bucksburn, Hazlehead and Bridge of Don recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Day and January 1, but will otherwise operate as usual. Tullos recycling centre remains closed.
A spokeswoman for the local authority added: “Real Christmas trees will be collected for recycling after Christmas on the residents’ usual brown bin day between January 9 and 20.”
Highlands
Bin collections in Sutherland and Skye that are scheduled for Monday January 2 will instead be collected on Saturday December 31.
There will be no household waste collections on Monday January 2, in all other areas.
Affected households are advised to put their bin out on January 3 and it will be collected between January 3 and 6.
Moray
Across Moray, any collections for green and recycling bins on Monday December 26, and Monday January 2 have been revised.
- Collections in Clochan and Fife Keith due to take place on Monday December 26, will be moved to Tuesday December 27.
- Lossiemouth and Forres will be rescheduled for Wednesday December 28 and Friday December 30 respectively.
- Other bins due to be collected on Monday January 2, in Portknockie, Buckie, Tomintoul, Alves, Roseisle and Elgin have been rescheduled for later on in the week.
- No brown bin collections from Boxing Day for two weeks.
Real Christmas trees can be left alongside brown bins when collections resume on Monday January 9. They will be uplifted regardless of garden waste permits.
Any disruption to collections scheduled will be posted on the council’s service portal where a new return time and date will also be posted.
- All recycling centres will close at 12pm on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay.
- All recycling centres will be shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, January 1 and January 2.
Western Isles
Western Isles Council said they will be operating waste and recycling collections as normal on December 26 and 27 and January 2 and 3.
Orkney
Orkney Islands Council has released several timetables for waste and recycling collections over the festive period.
They have published two timetables for the mainland and south linked islands and also for the islands which can be found on their website.
The Cursiter Recycling Point will closed at 3.15pm on Friday December 23 until 8am on Wednesday January 4.
Hatston and Garson Recycling Centres and St Margaret’s Hope Recycling Point will be closed from Sunday December 25 until Tuesday December 27 and also over New Year from Sunday January 1 until January 3.
Bossack Recycling Centre will also be closed on Saturday December 24 and Saturday December 31.
They will remain open on other days as usual on other days throughout the festive period with normal operating hours resuming from Wednesday January 4.
Shetland
Grey lidded bin collection days due to take place between Christmas and New Year have been brought forward by one day across Shetland.
This means collections scheduled for the Tuesday December 27, will instead be picked up on Wednesday December 28.
The only exception are those scheduled for Monday December 26, which will instead take place on Wednesday December 28.
Non-recyclable rubbish due to be collected on Monday January 2, has been rescheduled for Tuesday January 3. Other collections will be collected as normal.
Gremista waste management facility will be closed at 4pm on Saturday December 24 and will remain shut until Wednesday December 28.
The facility will again close at 4pm Saturday December 31 until Tuesday January 3.
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