Published 10 December 2020

Residents in West Dunbartonshire are being encouraged to do the right thing and recycle their waste in the run up to Christmas and beyond.

Households in the area currently recycle 43.4% of waste throughout the year.

Much of the additional waste created throughout the festive season – including wrapping paper, Christmas cards, food, packaging and even Christmas trees – can be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.

Instead of disposing of these items in the general household waste bin for landfill, residents are being asked to put them in the correct bin to be recycled.

The following can be recycled:

• All Christmas cards: please put these into your blue bin or bag, or use paper banks at our Household Recycling Centres. Christmas cards can also be reused for crafts including making decorations or present labels.
• Wrapping paper: paper that stays crumpled after the scrunch test can be put into your paper and cardboard recycling container. If it ‘springs back’ after being scrunched up then it cannot be recycled as it is plastic based.
• Food: anything from vegetable peelings to turkey bones can be put into your brown bins for regular collection. Please remember to use the compostable liners we provide for recycling food waste – these can be ordered online or requested from your collection crew. You can also reduce food waste by using leftovers for a new meal.
• Glass: West Dunbartonshire has 125 glass recycling points throughout the area for disposing of glass bottles and jars. To find your nearest recycling point.
• Christmas Trees: Real Christmas trees can be recycled at our Household Waste Recycling Centres at Dalmoak, Renton and Ferry Road, Old Kilpatrick. Alternatively, residents with kerbside collection of food and garden waste can leave them next to their brown bin for collection. All decorations must be removed and if tree is taller than brown bin it must be cut in half. Artificial or plastic trees cannot be uplifted and should be disposed of at one of the recycling centres.

Councillor Iain McLaren, Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “Residents in our area are still recycling around 43% of their waste which we are extremely grateful for, but we must get that figure higher.

“Recycling is a great way to help the Council save money which can then be invested in other services and facilities, but it is also better for our environment.

“We can all take small steps to do our bit to having a greener Christmas. Please consider saving wrapping paper, boxes or gift bags to reuse later, and making sure you know how it can be recycled if it can’t be reused.”

Councillor Marie McNair, Vice Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, added: “I’d encourage all residents to familiarise themselves with which items can be recycled so they can play their part in increasing West Dunbartonshire’s recycling rate.

“Around half of the waste that is deposited in the general household wheelie bin can actually be recycled rather than going to landfill, and you can find out in detail about what items should go in which bin by visiting the Council’s website.

“We all know there is lots of extra waste at Christmas, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about recycling.”

The  Recycling Centres will be open for the majority of the festive season, only closing on Christmas Day and New Years Day. The hours of operation are 8am – 5.30pm.

Residents should also note slight changes to bin collection days due to Christmas.  If your bins are normally collected on Friday 25 December, they will now be collected on Sunday 27 December, and if your bins are normally collected on Friday 1 January, they will now be collected on Sunday 3 January. All other collections remain unaffected.

Further information on recycling.