Residents in Croydon are being advised of significant changes to their regular waste and recycling collection days over the upcoming festive period. Croydon Council has confirmed that the normal schedule will be disrupted due to the public holidays, with a revised timetable now in place.
Revised Festive Bin Collection Schedule
The council has outlined a detailed plan to manage collections around Christmas and New Year. Collections originally scheduled for Christmas Day, Thursday 25 December, will now take place two days later on Saturday 27 December.
For bins normally emptied on Boxing Day, Friday 26 December, the pick-up has been pushed back by three days to Monday 29 December. The adjustments continue into the new year, with collections due on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December happening just one day later than usual.
The changes become more pronounced around New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Collections planned for Wednesday 31 December, Thursday 1 January, and Friday 2 January will all be collected two days after their normal scheduled day.
Notably, any collection scheduled for Friday 2 January will be delayed by three days. From Monday 5 January through to Friday 9 January, all collections will take place one day later. The council has stated that the normal collection routine will fully resume from Monday 12 January 2026.
How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree in Croydon
Croydon Council is also running a special Christmas tree disposal service to help residents recycle their real trees responsibly. The service will operate from Monday 5 January to Friday 16 January.
To use this service, residents should place their tree out by 6am on 5 January. The council emphasises that all decorations, tinsel, and lights must be removed, and the tree should be taken out of its pot or stand. Collections will be made as soon as possible from the start date onwards.
For those who wish to dispose of their tree sooner, there are alternative free options. Genuine Christmas trees can be taken to any of the borough's three household reuse and recycling centres:
- Factory Lane, West Croydon CR0 3RL
- Fishers Farm, North Downs Road, New Addington CR0 0LB
- Purley Oaks, Brighton Road, South Croydon CR8 2BG
Additional Disposal Options for Garden Waste Customers
Households subscribed to Croydon's garden waste collection service have a further convenient option. They can cut their Christmas tree into smaller pieces and place it inside their garden waste bin for collection on their revised garden waste day.
Residents are encouraged to check the council's website or local communications for any last-minute updates and to ensure they put their bins and trees out on the correct revised dates to avoid missed collections.
