Adjustments to Lincolnshire Waste Collection Schedules During Festive Period

Lincolnshire’s waste collection schedule will be altered over the holiday season. Local authorities have published their refuse collection timetables for the Christmas and New Year period. Recycling facilities will operate with shortened hours. Councils are also providing advice on the proper methods and locations for recycling items such as Christmas trees, electrical goods, batteries, and wrapping paper. All seven district councils within Lincolnshire have announced modifications to their waste collection schedules. North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) recommends flattening cardboard boxes and compressing plastic bottles to optimize available bin capacity. The authority stated that no additional waste placed alongside bins will be collected; such waste must either be transported to a waste disposal site or retained for a subsequent collection. Waste recycling facilities will maintain their regular operating hours throughout the Christmas season, with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and 2 January. Recycling locations in Boston, Gainsborough, Lincoln, Market Rasen, and Spalding will be accessible from 08:00 to 16:00 GMT. Facilities situated in Bourne, Grantham, Louth, Skegness, Sleaford, and Tattershall will operate from 09:00 to 16:00. Due to the anticipated rise in refuse during the holiday season, residents are advised to verify that items are placed in the appropriate collection bins. South Kesteven District councillor Rhys Baker commented: “We realise that households get more packages and create more waste and recycling than usual around Christmas.” He added: “While we know our residents like to recycle as much as possible, please remember that not all Christmas cards and wrapping paper can go into the recycling bin.” Cards containing glitter should be disposed of in the black bin. Similarly, if wrapping paper cannot be crumpled into a ball, it should also be placed in the black bin. NKDC communicated that electrical items, or anything containing batteries or wires, must not be placed in household bins due to the potential fire hazard they present. The council suggested transporting these articles to a local waste disposal facility or depositing batteries at designated collection points within retail establishments. Individuals uncertain about the correct bin for an item can consult their local authority’s website for guidance. Real Christmas trees can be disposed of by cutting them into smaller pieces and placing them in brown garden waste bins, where available. Alternatively, real trees may be transported to local waste sites or contributed to charitable organizations such as St Barnabas, as part of their tree-cycle initiative. Lincolnshire County Council advised that artificial Christmas trees, if no longer serviceable, should be donated to charity or taken to a waste disposal site.