Easter bank holiday bin collection changes

Residents living in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City are being reminded that only bin collections that would have been on Good Friday will be affected by the upcoming Easter bank holidays. 

Households with a collection falling on Good Friday (29 March) will need to put their bins out four days earlier than usual, for collection on Monday 25 March. All other bin days during the Easter period remain the same as usual.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s lead cabinet member for Environmental Services, Cllr Henry Batchelor, said: “We’re pleased that this year we have been able to minimise disruption to residents’ bin collections caused by bank holidays. This is a direct result of our four-day week collection pattern and hopefully means there’s less confusion for residents. Not emptying bins on Mondays means that we avoid collections on the majority of bank holidays, and for Good Friday we’re able to use the preceding Monday instead of shifting collections later for two weeks and working on Saturdays, as in recent years.”

Residents are also being reminded to think about waste generated at Easter.

Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment at Cambridge City Council, Cllr Rosy Moore, said: “The long weekend is a great opportunity to have a Spring Clean, declutter or get on with DIY projects, as well as enjoying chocolate eggs. We just ask everyone to think ahead about what waste you might generate and try to avoid it. Recycling is good, but it is even better if we can reduce and re-use in order to generate as little waste as possible in the first place.”

How to go beyond recycling this Easter:

• Have a ‘buy less’ mindset – do you really need to splash out on decorations, or would it be more fun to make some paper ones with the kids?
• Swap the way you shop – want a new Spring wardrobe? Check out charity and vintage shops, organise a clothes swap with friends and neighbours or buy pre-loved online.
• Use it again and again – get organised with DIY – check what equipment like paintbrushes you already have, and ensure you have what you need to clean and re-use them.
• Rehome it – finished decluttering? Pass on your unwanted items to someone else through neighbourhood ‘freebies’ Facebook groups, the Olio app or charity shops.
• Recycle – don’t forget to save up your Easter egg foil and scrunch it into a larger ball before popping it in your recycling bin along with any cardboard packaging.

Residents can download their own tailored bin collection calendar at www.cambridge.gov.uk/binday for people living in Cambridge or www.scambs.gov.uk/binday for those living in South Cambridgeshire.

Greater Cambridge Shared Waste, a partnership between Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils, collects recycling and rubbish from around 131,000 households across the city of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.

Questions and Answers

1. Why is it only the Friday collection that is affected?

As we do not empty bins on Mondays anymore, it is only Good Friday which is affected. 

2. Why is the Friday collection not moving forward to the next day (Saturday), like it usually does?

Pulling the collection forward four days causes the least disruption to the service. If we were to move all collections forward, this would mean there would be a full week of disruption. 

3. I now have a longer wait until the next collection, what shall I do with the excess recycling/waste?

We can collect one bag of additional recycling if it is in a clear sack and next to the blue bin (no glass in the sacks, please) Cardboard must be bundled together with rope or tape and able to fit in the blue bin (if it was empty). We will not collect additional black or green bin waste.

If you have an excess of additional waste this can be taken to the Household recycling centres at Milton or Thriplow. 

4. My bin was missed on Monday 25th March, will you return to empty it?

If you put your bin out by 6am on Monday 25th March and it was missed, you can report it online. Our crews log which bins were not put out, so if the bin was not put out for collection, you will not be able to report it as missed.