We are approaching the busiest time of the year for East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s bin collection teams.
More waste is generated during Christmas and New Year than at any other period.
Last year the council’s bin crews collected 9,400 tonnes of waste over the festive season – that’s around 2,000 tonnes more than a regular month.
In addition, more than 2,600 tonnes of waste were also taken to the area’s 10 household waste recycling sites in December 2024.
Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Residents in the East Riding are officially among the top recyclers in the country and their support in using the right bins for their rubbish this holiday is as important as ever.
“Our bin crews do an amazing job throughout the year and especially over the busy Christmas period. They deserve a big thank you.”
The vast majority of waste – such as Christmas cards, wrapping paper, cardboard boxes – can easily be recycled in the blue bin.
All leftover food can be emptied into your kitchen caddies and tipped into your brown bin where it will be recycled into compost.
Please also make sure any old batteries from toys and Christmas lights are also recycled over the festive period. Most supermarkets have collection points which enable correct recycling.
Never miss a bin day … download our mobile app!
Bin collection days will change slightly over Christmas and New Year and the easiest way to get reminders sent to you is by downloading the ‘East Riding of Yorkshire Council’ app to your mobile devices.
Around 94,000 people in the East Riding have already signed up to receive automatic notifications on their mobile for their bin collection days.
The reminders are simple to set up in the Waste Collections section, which also displays the next bin days for your green, blue and brown bins.
The app also has useful information and guides including:
- Can I Recycle It? – simply type in an item you want to know about.
- Find My Nearest – a list of local services,
- Eating Out – local food guide,
- Social – access to the council’s social media messages
- Contact Us – how to get in touch with the council.
Download the East Riding of Yorkshire Council app from your regular app store (Apple App Store/Google Play Store etc) or visit www.eastriding.gov.uk/app for more information.
Festive bin collections and recycling
Bin collection dates will change over Christmas and New Year. Normal collections will resume from Monday 12 January.
View your bin collection days on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council app or online at www.eastriding.gov.uk/bins
Household waste recycling sites are open from 10am to 5pm each day, but will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. They will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
- Real Christmas trees can be recycled by placing them next to brown bins on their collection days in January or taken to household waste recycling sites. Please remove all lights and decorations.
- Blue bins can be used to recycle Christmas cards, envelopes, wrapping paper, cardboard and cardboard boxes, plastic tubs and trays, all glass and plastic bottles and jars, cans, tins, aerosols, tin foil, foil trays, books, newspapers, magazines, juice cartons, egg boxes.
Please make sure all waste is empty, clean and placed loose in the blue bin, not in bags.
Blue bins can take paper-based wrapping paper. If it holds its shape when scrunched then it is paper and can go in the blue bin. Please remove sticky tape where possible. - Brown bins can be used to recycle all cooked and uncooked food waste, including plate scrapings, peelings, meat, turkey and other bird carcasses, meat bones, eggshells, tea bags and small amounts of sauces, creams and soups. Any garden waste can also go in the brown bin.
Free kitchen caddy liners to put your food inside are available from household waste recycling sites, customer service centres, libraries, mobile libraries and leisure centres. - Used coffee pods, both metal and plastic, can be recycled at household waste recycling sites.
- Crisp packets and plastic bags can be recycled in some supermarkets. If not, place in the green bin.
- Polystyrene can’t be recycled, so please place any in your green bin.
- Batteries should never go in any bins, as they can cause fires. Instead, please take them to supermarkets and local shops that have battery recycling collection boxes or to any household waste recycling site.
- Electrical items can be taken to the small electricals skip at household waste recycling sites.
- Broken Christmas lights can be taken to the smallelectricals skip at household waste recycling sites.
- Clothing, shoes and textiles can’t go in your bins, so please take these to local clothing recycling banks or to charity shops.
- Unwanted Christmas gifts can be donated to charity shops or taken to household waste recycling sites to donate them to the Reuse Shop for Dove House Hospice.
