Even with our ‘Christmas bubbles’ we are going to create more waste over the festive season and so BCP Council is asking residents to note collection days so they avoid any unnecessary trips to the tip.

There will be no rubbish, food (for Bournemouth and Christchurch) or recycling bin collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Instead, catch up collections will run from Monday 28 December to Saturday 9 January.

Extra rubbish and recycling can be taken for disposal at one of the three Household Recycling Centres at Millhams, Longham; Wilverley Road, Christchurch; or Nuffield, Poole. All sites are open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day with social distancing measures in place.

Lots of Christmas waste can be recycled including wrapping paper if it stays scrunched up, cardboard packaging, Christmas cards, sweet tins, glass and plastic bottles and tin foil from mince pies and turkey covering. You can also reuse Christmas wrapping next year and refashion cards to make recycled present labels.

Cllr Mark Anderson, Cabinet portfolio holder for Environment, Cleansing and Waste commented, “2020 has been a very difficult year for everyone. We were so grateful to our waste collectors for continuing to work throughout this pandemic and collecting our waste every week. Now we want everyone to have a great Christmas and not be left with piles of rubbish or recycling because they’ve forgotten to put their bins out.”

After Christmas, residents can take their tree to one of the council’s Household Recycling Centres or to Upton Country Park for composting. In addition, Diverse Abilities is organising a volunteer collection service from 9-11 January 2021 for a small donation. Visit www.diverseabilities.org.uk/trees/ to see the areas that are covered for collection and to book.