Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council is wishing all its residents a waste free Christmas and a greener New Year as part of its latest festive recycling campaign, which aims to encourage everyone to recycle as much as possible, especially the leftover or unused food.
The campaign is called ‘RCT’s got the recipe to a greener Christmas’ and will look to encourage all residents to recycle their food waste and spread the cheer!
The festive season is a time of joy, togetherness, and delicious feasts. However, it often leads to an increase in food waste, which can have a negative impact on the environment. This campaign aims to raise awareness about reducing food waste during Christmas and provide practical tips to help celebrate a greener Christmas.
Food waste contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. When food is wasted, the resources used to produce it, such as water, energy, and labour, are also wasted. By reducing food waste, we can decrease our carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet. For unavoidable food waste, we can recycle it for free every week at the kerbside.
Food waste accounts for over 20% of what is collected monthly in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The good news is that, out of the recycled food waste, enough energy can be generated to power around 1180 homes!
It is estimated that general household waste also increases by over 30% during this time, which means lots of extra recycling!
The Council is asking its residents to put all the amazing efforts they have shown so far this year into having a greener Christmas, by helping create the perfect recipe for a waste free New Year!
Residents can enjoy a greener holiday by recycling all their unavoidable food waste (turkey bones, egg shells, plate scrapings etc), extra plastic bottles, wrapping paper, Christmas cards, real Christmas trees, tubs and trays, metal cans, tinfoil, glass bottles, jars, cardboard packaging and lots more, during the festive season.
Of course, the easiest items to recycle at Christmas are all the plastic and paper/cardboard packaging you’ll come across during the festive period.
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure said:
“I’d like to wish all our residents a greener Christmas and thank every one of them for supporting a greener future for RCT all year round.
“The festive period means extra waste and it’s a great time to think green and recycle all the additional packaging, wrapping paper and cards.
“Rhondda Cynon Taf Council encourages residents to keep up the good work all year round. The Council provides an accessible and innovative recycling service complemented by ongoing public education and awareness-raising.
“The support of our householders towards our food waste recycling has been amazing so far.
“In a remarkable stride towards a sustainable and greener future, I’m pleased to announce the successful move from wheelie bin collections to black bag waste collections has already led to a significant increase in food waste recycling figures – putting us on the right path for a waste free New Year and avoiding Welsh Government fines of around £500,000.
“The latest recycling figures – are consistently showing that we have hit over 70% for two months, for the FIRST-TIME-EVER!”
“I’m sure that, together we can keep up the great efforts and ensure that we keep hitting and smashing any target set by the Welsh Government and make 2025 an even Greener and record breaking New Year.”
After the presents are unwrapped and you’re wondering how to clear away the mountain of boxes, paper bags and wrapping paper, simply pick up your clear recycling bag and fill it up.
Please remember to put ALL wrapping paper into a separate CLEAR bag, including foil or glitter wrapping paper. Also, flatten any cardboard boxes and paper bags to make space in your recycling.
To free up even more space, you can also visit one of the local community recycling centres (CRCs) to dispose of your non-kerbside items such as clothes, old toys and electrical items. Please ensure you sort your waste before visiting.
Our Community Recycling Centres are open from 8.30am until 4.30pm every day except for a 3.30pm closure on 24th and 31st December and complete closure on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and re-open on Thursday 2nd January 2025.
The Shed re-use facilities are also open during the festive period from 9.30am – 4pm and are a great place to grab a last-minute bargain or to take unwanted items that others may treasure, visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/TheShed for info.
Visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/ChristmasRecycling for full details.
Plan Your Meals
Smart Shopping
Reuse and Recycle
For more information and tips on recycling your Christmas waste follow us on Facebook or Twitter or visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/christmasrecycling
Your weekly collections for recycling, food, nappies and black bag waste will change during Christmas week.
Collections due on Wednesday 25th December will be collected on Friday 27th December and will skip 2 days all week -Wednesday to Friday, Thursday to Saturday, Friday to Sunday.
All refuse and recycling (including nappies and food waste recycling) should be placed at its collection point by 7am on your revised collection days.
Normal Working Days
Revised Collections
Monday 23rd December
No Change
Tuesday 24th December
No Change
Wednesday 25th December
Friday 27th December
Thursday 26th December
Saturday 28th December
Friday 27th December
Sunday 29th December
Collections will take place as usual on Monday 30th December and Tuesday 31st December. Collections will then skip 1 day from New Years Day (Wednesday) – so Wednesdays collection will be collected on Thursday etc. This applies to ALL your scheduled collections for recycling, food, nappies and black bag waste from Wednesday 1st January (New Year week) – Please note there will be NO COLLECTION on New Year’s Day.
All refuse and recycling (including nappies and food waste recycling) should be placed at their usual collection point by 7am on your revised collection day.
Normal Working Days
Revised Collections
Monday 30th December
No Change
Tuesday 31st December
No Change
Wednesday 1st January
Thursday 2nd January
Thursday 2nd January
Friday 3rd January
Friday 3rd January
Saturday 4th January
Other services such as bulky waste collections and delivery of wheelie bins/food waste bins will be suspended from the week commencing 25th December and 1st January. This allows us to use as many resources as possible to collect the anticipated record amounts of Mighty recycling this Christmas.
Normal services will resume on Monday 6th January.
Community Recycling Centres
Our Community Recycling Centres are open from 8.30am until 4.30pm every day except for a 3.30pm closure on 24th and 31st December and complete closure on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and re-open on Thursday 2nd January 2025.
Real Christmas Tree Collections and Green Waste:
From 2nd December, you can book ‘real’ Christmas trees for kerbside collection between 2nd January and 31st January 2025.
This MUST be done via www.rctcbc.gov.uk/ChristmasTrees or by calling 01443 425001 as bookings WON’T be accepted via the Winter Green Collection system as this is suspended during this time.
The bookable Winter Green Waste Collection Service (including ‘real’ Christmas trees not booked in for collection) will be suspended from the week commencing Monday 25th December. Booked Winter Green Waste Collections will resume on Monday 13th January 2025. Green waste, including real Christmas trees, can still be taken to your local CRCs (unbagged) throughout the festive period.
Residents must book their ‘real’ Christmas tree collections online at least 24 hours before their revised collection day as they won’t be automatically collected: www.rctcbc.gov.uk/ChristmasTrees
During the booking period, real Christmas trees can be placed out whole. However, trees over 4ft will have to be cut up so the crews can safely lift them. Please remove ALL lights, baubles and stars beforehand.
Please Note: Artificial Christmas trees can be taken to a Community Recycling Centre or booked in for a special collection if you want to dispose of them.
Please remember to place ALL refuse and recycling out before 7am on your collection or revised collection day and not before, as this can lead to spillages and difficulties for pedestrians using the pavement.
If we haven’t collected your refuse/recycling as planned, please leave it at the kerbside, as we may be working additional hours to clear a backlog. Our crews can work well into the evening during busy periods, and extra staff can sometimes be called in to remove the items the next day.
Residents can visit one of the many collection points across Rhondda Cynon Taf before the festive period to collect their recycling bags – find your nearest at www.rctcbc.gov.uk/bags.
The Streetcare Team would also like to remind residents to park sensibly so that they can get the recycling truck down your street.
The Council has issued the following tips for a ‘Green Christmas’
