Residents across the London Borough of Hillingdon are being advised of significant changes to their rubbish and recycling collections over the Christmas and New Year period.
The council has confirmed a revised schedule that will run from late December into early January, with all services expected to return to normal by Monday, January 5, 2025.
Revised Collection Dates for the Festive Period
The disruption to regular services begins just before Christmas. If your usual collection day is Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24 December, your bins will instead be emptied one day earlier on Tuesday 23 December.
For households with a scheduled pick-up on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December), crews will visit on Christmas Eve.
Collections due on Boxing Day, Friday 26 December, will be delayed by one day, taking place on Saturday 27 December.
The council has stated that all collections planned from Sunday 29 December until New Year's Day will proceed as normal without any changes.
New Year Arrangements and Important Instructions
With New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January) being a bank holiday, any collections scheduled for that day will be moved to Friday 2 January.
Consequently, the regular Friday 2 January collection will be pushed back to Saturday 3 January.
Residents are reminded to place their bins and boxes near their front gate by 6am on their revised collection day, ensuring they are not left on the pavement. Separate arrangements are in place for flats and business premises.
Free Christmas Tree Recycling Service
In a separate festive initiative, Hillingdon Council will operate a free recycling service for real Christmas trees between Monday 5 January and Friday 16 January 2025.
Householders should place their tree at the edge of their property boundary, clearly visible to collectors, by 6am on their scheduled collection day. Specific dates for each address can be found on the Hillingdon Council website.
For residents of flats, collections must be booked by emailing [email protected]. Trees should be placed next to bin stores without blocking access and must not be placed inside communal bins.
The council has issued clear guidelines for tree preparation:
- All decorations, pots, and stands must be removed.
- Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half.
Unwanted artificial trees cannot be collected with this service. They should be taken to a council waste and recycling centre or disposed of via the paid bulky waste collection service, which costs between £35 and £85.
By following the revised schedule and recycling guidelines, residents can help ensure a smooth and efficient waste service during the busy holiday period.
