HOUSEHOLDS in Bath and North East Somerset have received thanks for their recycling efforts, along with a reminder to review changes to festive collection schedules.

Every household has been sent a leaflet advising them of changes to the recycling and rubbish collection dates and highlighting the outstanding 60 per cent recycling rate achieved across the area, which has helped save 51,000 tonnes of waste – enough to pack Bath Abbey to its vaulted ceiling around 14 times.

The leaflet highlights several key dates for the festive period. Waste and recycling collections normally scheduled between December 25 and January 10 will be affected, and a revised calendar is available to download from the council website. Garden waste collections will pause from December 7 and restart on January 19.

Recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, while the Reuse Shop will be closed from December 21 to January 3.

Christmas trees can be collected by the garden waste team or, for a small donation, by Dorothy House, with bookings available via the council website. Only plain brown wrapping paper can be recycled in the blue cardboard recycling bag, as most Christmas wrapping paper, even when labelled recyclable, contains additives such as glitter which cannot be processed.

Councillor Mark Elliot, cabinet member for resources, said: “Thanks to the commitment and effort of all our residents, we have an outstanding 60 per cent recycling rate for 2024/25 here in Bath and North East Somerset. Christmas and New Year will be especially busy for our crews because waste typically increases by 30 per cent.

“To help them collect quickly as they cope with the increased amount of rubbish and recycling, especially food waste, we encourage everyone to wash, squash and sort their waste before putting it in the green recycling boxes.”