Christmas A-Z

Batteries – if still usable, donate them. If they’ve lost their charge put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day or check your local supermarket for a battery collection tub

Candles (remains of) – check they have cooled down, then burgundy bin (recycle glass jars in your grey bin if they are clean)

Cardboard – make sure it is clean and dry, then blue bin

Christmas crackers – if paper, place in blue bin. Other contents all go in the burgundy bin

Christmas tree (artificial) – Burgundy bin or HWRC (household waste recycling centre in Blackburn or Darwen)

Christmas tree (real) – chop it up and put it in the brown garden waste bin or take to the HWRC (garden waste skips)

Decorations e.g. baubles from the Christmas tree – donate or burgundy bin

Disposable plastic cups – Burgundy bin

Disposable plastic cutlery – Burgundy bin

Drink bottles (plastic or glass, make sure they are empty!) – Grey bin

Drinking glasses (if broken, make sure to wrap securely) – Burgundy bin

DVDs – donate or burgundy bin

Electrical appliances (from food mixers to kettles to hairdryers and straighteners ) – if still usable, please donate. If broken, put in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day. For larger broken items (cookers, TVs, microwaves), take to the HWRC

Envelopes (including ones with windows) – Blue bin

Fabrics e.g. clothing, curtains but not duvets or pillows – donate or burgundy bin

Fairy Lights – If working, donate. If broken or not working, put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day

Felt tip pens – Burgundy bin

Foil trays – if clean, grey bin. If dirty, burgundy bin

Food (meal leftovers, extra food bought and not used) – keep in the fridge and use up the leftovers. As a last resort, wrap and place in the burgundy bin

Gift tags – paper gift tags can go in the blue bin, remove any decorations or glittery parts first

Glass cookware like Pyrex – burgundy bin

Glittery cards, wrapping paper or gift tags – burgundy bin (tear off any non-glittery paper and place in the blue bin)

Greetings cards – remove decorations/glittery sections then blue bin

Home delivery cardboard boxes – Blue bin

Lights – If working, donate. If broken or not working, put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day

Oil (Make sure to pour into a secure bottle) – Burgundy bin

Oven trays (used, metal) – Burgundy bin

Paper coffee cups – Burgundy bin

Perfume bottles – Grey bin

Polystyrene packaging – Burgundy bin

Ribbon – Reuse for new presents or keep for crafts. If putting in a bin, burgundy bin

Saucepans – Burgundy bin or HWRC

Sellotape – Burgundy bin

Shredded paper – Blue bin

Sweet wrappers – Burgundy bin

Takeaway chippy and burger foam boxes – Burgundy bin

Tinsel – reuse or Burgundy bin

Toys (plastic) – donate if not broken, or burgundy bin if broken

Unwanted gifts – regift or donate to a charity shop

Wine (or any alcohol) bottles – Grey bin

Wrapping paper – do the scrunch test! If it scrunches up, blue bin. If it doesn’t scrunch up, burgundy bin. Remove as much sellotape as you can (a little sellotape is OK)