‘Tis the season to recycle

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Residents are being asked to give a gift to the environment this Christmas by ensuring extra cans, glass bottles and jars and wrapping paper used over the festive season is recycled.

Around 30% more waste is created over Christmas than at any other time of the year – which is three million tonnes of extra rubbish across the country overall.

With an aim to reduce as much landfill waste as possible, Rochdale Council is urging local people to recycle as much as they can and help themselves by freeing up space in their refuse bins for items that can’t be recycled.

To help you manage Christmas waste better this year, the council offers residents these tips:

Know your festive collections dates - You’ll need to put your bins out for collection on different days over Christmas and New Year. See Know when to put your bins out this Christmas.

Shop smart - When you’re doing your Christmas shopping, buy loose vegetables and try and avoid buying produce with unnecessary packaging.

Eat well, waste less - Manage food portions carefully and only cook as much as you need. For more food waste prevention tips go to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Recycle cards and wrapping paper - Put Christmas cards and wrapping paper into your blue bin or bag, but don’t put foiled paper or paper covered in sticky tape as this can’t be recycled.

Good waste management - Put glass bottles, jars, plastic bottles, cans and tin foil into your light green bin. Please make sure they’re clean to avoid contamination.

Councillor Irene Davidson, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: "It can be very tempting to put all rubbish into one bin bag over Christmas, but because there’s so much of it people can fill up their refuse bins too quickly and find there’s no room left. Christmas is the best time to recycle because there’s so much extra rubbish generated through things like paper, glass bottles and cans.

“Don’t have a rubbish Christmas with overflowing bins! Recycle all those bottles, tins and papers using the bins provided and take the stress out of Christmas.”