Christmas Collections 2013 Residents will soon find out arrangements for refuse and recycling collections in Sefton during the Christmas period. Information stickers are to be placed on wheelie bins or letters delivered to those who don’t have wheelie bins. This year there will be no wheelie bin or plastic sack collections from December 24 until December 31 by Sefton Council staff. Similar to previous years, Sefton Council staff are required to take unpaid leave on December 24, 27, 30 and 31 in order to make about £800K in savings. The savings, which will help to balance this year’s budget, are made from staff wages and other running costs over this period as many council buildings are closed.
As a result, wheelie bin and sack collections will recommence from January 2, 2014 following the New Year bank holiday. The weekly kerbside recycling collection service, carried out by Palm Recycling on behalf of Sefton Council, will however continue throughout the Christmas and New Year period, except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as these staff are not directly employed by Sefton Council. This means that there will be changes to the day some residents’ recycling is collected. Full details are given in the letters and on the stickers soon to be delivered. Similar to previous years, the green wheelie bin collection for garden waste will be suspended from the middle of December and will resume mid January 2014. Along with the first grey wheelie bin collections in the New Year, as detailed on the stickers, residents can also leave up to three bags of side waste which will be collected in addition to the wheelie bin.
The stickers and letters clearly explain when all collections will take place and similar information is on the Sefton Council website. Cllr Trish Hardy, Cabinet Member Communities and Environment, said: “Please look out for the stickers and letters being delivered in the next week or so as they hold very important information about refuse and recycling collections over Christmas and the New Year. “They are specific to individual properties and have details on refuse and recycling collections which will alter slightly for many people over the Christmas period. Please spend some time reading them. “During and after the Christmas period we all tend to generate extra waste yet so much of this can be recycled. As ever please think about recycling it rather than just putting it in the bin and make your Christmas a green one.”
Ruairi Holyoake, Palm Recycling’s North West Operations Manager, said: “The weekly food waste collection service can be used to dispose of all the food leftovers during the festive period, such as sprouts and turkey bones. Don’t forget that the foil cases from shop-bought mince pies are recyclable in the green box, as well as biscuit and chocolate tins. “Non-metallic Christmas wrapping paper can go in the blue bag for paper recycling, as can gift catalogues and TV guides. However, Christmas and New Year greetings cards should not be put in the blue bag but can be taken for recycling to one of a number of greetings card recycling schemes organised by some retail outlets.”
Sefton Council is also running a free Christmas tree recycling collection service in the New Year. For further details, or to make a booking, call 0845 140 0845. Residents can also view their refuse and collection dates over the Christmas period online.