Christmas and New Year bin collection Edinburgh 2020: dates general waste and recycling bins are collected over festive period

There will be no bin collections on Christmas and New Years Day

With all the eating, drinking and gift-giving over the festive period, you might be wondering how to dispose of all the extra waste.

The Christmas holidays are a time when many services tend to wind down, and bin collection is no different.

Here are the changes to bin collection dates and service provision over the festive period.

Bins will not be emptied on Christmas and New Year's Day (Picture: Shutterstock)

Edinburgh bin collection dates

There will be no collection on Friday, 25 December and Friday, 1 January.

Therefore, a revised schedule for bin collection and city centre box collections will run during the festivities.

If your bin is usually emptied on a Friday, your bin collection will be:

- Kerbside bin collection:Monday 28 December and Monday 4 January

- Red and blue box collection: Saturday 26 December and Saturday 2 January.

Edinburgh City Council has asked that everyone leaves their rubbish out to be collected by 6am on their scheduled date.

If your rubbish is left out for collection but is not emptied, the council has asked that you leave your bin out until it has been.

Can I still recycle?

There will be no garden waste collections between 14 December and 10 January 2021.

You will also not be able to have a special uplift between 24 December and 4 January, the next collection after the festive period will be Wednesday, 6 January 2021.

To visit a recycling centre, you must book an appointment.

You can now book a slot up to 28 days in advance until mid-January.

Recycling centres will be open every day during the festive period, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2 January 2021.

Opening hours are:

Thursday 24 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Friday 25 December - closed

Saturday 26 December - closed

Sunday 27 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Monday 28 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Tuesday 29 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Wednesday 30 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Thursday 31 December - open 8.30am to 5pm

Friday 1 January - closed

Saturday 2 January - closed

Sunday 3 January - open 8.30am to 5pm

When will the normal collection dates resume?

Normal bin collection will begin again on Monday, 4 January.

Recycling centres will reopen on Sunday, 3 January.

Garden waste recycling will begin again on 10 January.

How can I reduce my waste over the Christmas period?

Edinburgh City Council have given some advice on how you can reduce overflowing bins during the festive season.

To recycle more and reduce waste, you could:

- use leftover Christmas dinner for Boxing Day lunch

- recycle wrapping paper, Christmas cards and cardboard boxes - if you flatten cardboard boxes and stack them neatly beside your bin they will still be collected.

- recycle your Christmas tree by removing the base and decoration and leaving it to the side of your garden waste collection bin on the day it is due to be collected.

- rinse tins and plastic bottles, they can then be recycled in your blue recycling bin