Changes to Christmas bin collections

There will be changes to Wednesday and Thursday bin collections over the Christmas period.

There will be no bin collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Instead all bins - including green bins and food caddies - due to be emptied on Wednesday, 25 December will be collected on Saturday, December 28.

Bins due for collection on Thursday, December 26 will this year be collected early on Saturday, December 21.

If your green bin and food caddy are due for collection on Boxing Day, the authority is asking that you do not put them out. 

They will be emptied as normal on Thursday, January 2.

Bins due on Wednesday, January 1 will be collected on Saturday, January 4 - apart from green bins and food caddies which will be collected on Wednesday, January 8 as normal.

The council say they will be delivering leaflets to households in the areas affected and will also be sending out reminders via social media channels.

If you are unsure which bin would have been due, you can check your collection calendar or use the online post code checker at www.oldham.gov.uk/waste

You can also download the Recycle for Greater Manchester App for your phone by visiting your App store. 

If your collection day doesn’t fall on any of the above dates then you should put your bins out as usual.

Helen Lockwood, Deputy Chief Executive, said: “Changes to collection days at Christmas are now the norm. The majority of you won’t be affected but please just take a minute to familiarise yourself with the arrangements if your bins are collected on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“Our waste teams work in all weathers all year round and deserve to enjoy the holidays with their families and friends, like most people get to do at this time of year.”

After the festive period you can get rid of your Christmas tree in a number of ways.

You can put it in your green bin – chop it into small pieces, remove the wooden block from the base of the tree as this is too big to be composted, and take off any lights and decorations.

Alternatively, take it to your local tip or to one of the following recycling ‘drop off’ points from December 28 until January 17:

• Higher Memorial Park (car park), Joseph Street, Failsworth (open dawn until dusk)
• Royton Park (car park) off Bleasdale Street, Royton. Anytime access
• Werneth Park (car park) off Frederick Street, Werneth (open dawn until dusk)
• Churchill Playing Fields (car park), Wellington Road, Greenfield. Anytime access.

All your Christmas cards, wrapping paper and cardboard packaging can be recycled using your blue bins or recycling bags.

If you have things that are too big to fit in your bin, you can:

• Take them to Arkwright Street Waste and Recycling Centre, Oldham, OL9 9LZ - for free. Or to find your nearest tip, visit www.recycle4greatermanchester.com
• Arrange for them to be collected by Bulky Bobs. To book a collection call us on 0161 770 6644.

The Council will collect extra recycling over the Christmas period as long as it is neatly presented and clearly labelled as recycling.