WASTE collection will be business as usual over the festive period, with services changing for household recycling centres (HRC) and garden waste collection across the county.

A councillor has also urged residents to recycle "as much of their waste as possible".

Wiltshire Council has confirmed waste and recycling collection dates will not change over the Christmas and New Year period, as crews will be working as normal on December 27 and 28, 2021, and January 3, 2022.

Garden waste collections however will stop for two weeks over this period.

The last collections will take place on Christmas Eve, December 24, and will restart on January 10, 2022.

HRCs that are normally open on Fridays will be open on Christmas Eve from 10am until 1pm.

All HRCs will be closed on Christmas day, December 26, and New Year's Day.

Other than these dates, the centres will open as normal on their specified opening days.

For Salisbury, this is Saturday to Wednesday, 10am until 4pm.

People who pay to have their garden waste collected can include their real Christmas tree, alongside their garden waste bin, in their first collection in January.

Crews will collect trees for composting, or local charities can be supported by paying a small donation to have your tree collected via the Just Helping scheme.

Dr Mark McClelland, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for waste, has listed some of the extra items that can be recycled, adding the importance of disposing of batteries and electrical items correctly.

The councillor said: “At Christmas time many of us generate more waste than usual. We would like everyone to do their bit by recycling as much of their waste as possible. Our kerbside recycling collection service helps make this easy to do.

“In addition to the everyday items people tend to recycle in their blue lidded bin and black box, people can add items including wrapping paper, providing it scrunches into a ball, cardboard packaging, plastic sweet tubs, up to five litres, mince pie foil cases, drinks cans, glass bottles, and Christmas cards without glitter.

"Local charity shops may be happy to receive donations of unwanted Christmas presents.

“It is important that people do not place batteries or electrical items into any of their bins.

"These items can cause fires in collection vehicles or at waste processing and sorting facilities. These should be disposed of at HRCs instead.”

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