Changes to recycling and waste services this Christmas

Garden waste collections are suspended for 6 weeks between Monday 15 December 2025 and Sunday 25 January 2026 (inclusive).

Collections will resume from Monday 26 January 2026.

Planned collections may be subject to change due to adverse weather conditions. Follow @BucksCouncil to keep up to date with the latest collection information on Facebook and X.

The sites will close on:

• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day
• New Year’s Day

All other days over the Christmas period, whether Bank Holidays or not, the sites will operate the usual opening days and hours.

Find out more on our household recycling centre webpages.

Over the festive season, we produce around 30% more waste so it’s even more important to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Find out what can and cannot be recycled by visiting our Waste Wizard or check out Buckinghamshire Recycles website for tips to reduce waste over the Christmas period.

Remember that you can recycle items such as:

• christmas cards
• crackers (no snaps)
• paper hats
• non-glittery wrapping paper
• chocolate boxes
• non Christmas items such as cleaning bottles and shampoo bottles

If you are worried about wasting food, the Love Food Hate Waste website has advice on how to reduce waste and reuse festive food.

Try using a Portion planner as well to reduce your Christmas shopping bill and your food waste.

If you have too much recycling for your bin at home, you can visit your nearest household recycling centre. If you cannot get to the recycling centre, the collection crews will take extra recycling.

You should flat pack cardboard, keeping it below 1 metre square and squash other recycling to help fit more on the recycling vehicles. If you live:

• in the Aylesbury Vale area, put your extra recycling in a cardboard box, or clear plastic bag
• in the Chiltern, Wycombe or South Bucks areas, put extra recycling in a reusable container

You can dispose of your natural Christmas tree, wreaths, holly and mistletoe:

• at your nearest household recycling centre
• with our garden waste collection service which will resume on Monday 26 January 2026
• through many groups like the Scouts or Young Farmers offer a paid for collection to raise money for charitable causes -your town or village may have one

Before you do though, remember to:

• remove any decorations
• cut the tree into smaller, manageable pieces before placing in your garden waste bin

Commercial waste collections will follow the Christmas bin collection dates outlined above.

If you have a regular Saturday collection, note that your collection day will remain unchanged, and your bin will be collected as usual on Saturday.