Festive recycling and re-using tips
You can recycle many festive items via our kerbside recycling collections, to help you 'recycle and re-use' more and waste less this season.
Kerbside collections
Festive items you can put in your recycling containers include:
- greetings cards
- wrapping paper (non-foil)
- cardboard
- crackers (remove all embellishments, such as bows, first)
- bottles
- tins/cans
Items you should not put out for recycling from your kerbside include:
- heavily glittered items
- tinsel
- foil wrapping paper
- plastic Christmas trees and wreaths
We will collect any extra recycling that is presented along with recycling boxes, as long as it is correctly separated in untied bags. Please break cardboard down into pieces which would fit into your recycling box.
Check what you can put in your recycling boxes.
Disposing of real Christmas trees
Real Christmas trees and wreaths can be recycled at Hazel Court HWRC or Towthorpe/Strensall HWRC.
York Round Table will once again be offering a charity Christmas Tree recycling service in conjunction with City of York Council and YorWaste.
You will be able to drop-off your tree for a small donation (£5) to this year’s chosen charity, York Food Bank at Askham Bar Tesco Extra on Saturday 4 January 2025 between 9.00am and 4.00pm. Alternatively, for a £10 donation fee per tree, York Round Table will come to you and collect your tree. Booking details and more information can be found online.
Reducing food waste
Lots of food waste can be composted and re-used in the garden. See the Get Composting website for more information.
For some tasty recipes on using up festive leftovers and hints on how to reduce food waste, see Love Food Hate Waste.
Re-use more at Christmas time
More information about how to re-use and recycle your Christmas waste is also available from St Nicks and Recycle now.
Winter weather disruption
Severe winter weather can sometimes cause disruptions to our household waste and recycling collections.
Bad weather can also affect the opening times of our household waste recycling centres:
These are normally open every day, except:
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Year’s Day
Waste collections in severe weather
If we're unable to collect your waste due to severe winter weather, we'll:
- collect your waste on your next scheduled waste or recycling collection day
- make allowances for extra waste at your next collection
Our waste collection updates page shows details of any known service issues and missed collections.
See details of how we deal with missed waste collections.
If we've been unable to collect your waste, you can also:
- take your waste to Hazel Court HWRC or Towthorpe/Strensall HWRC, but check they're open before travelling
- check for updates via Facebook and Twitter or on local radio stations