Due to how bank holidays fall, some bin collections will be affected and emptied on a different date. You can check when your bin will be collected on our bin day lookup.
We will be able to collect one bag of side waste with your general waste bin on your first green bin collection after Christmas. As usual, a small amount of extra recyclable waste in a paper bag or cardboard box can be collected on blue bin days.
Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on your collection day and do not overload your bins as we may not be able to empty them. If crews are unable to empty bins due to parking issues or severe weather, please leave your bin out and we will return as soon as possible.
Cards and wrapping paper
Christmas cards, wrapping paper and envelopes can be recycled as long as they don't have foil, glitter or a shiny coating. If in doubt, test wrapping paper with the 'scrunch test' - if you literally scrunch the paper in your hand and it stays in a ball, it can be put in the recycling bin. Please remove all ribbons, bows and sticky tape.
Christmas trees and fairy lights
Both real and artificial trees should be taken to your nearest recycling centre. Please do not put your real tree in your household waste. When garden waste is buried at landfill sites, it decomposes without air, producing large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. You can remove the branches from your tree and place them in your brown bin. However, do not place the trunk inside.
Old lights that no longer work should be taken to your local recycling centre.
Aerosols, cans and plastic bottles
All sorts of aerosol cans can be recycled including fake snow, de-icer, squirty cream, air freshener, deodorant, silly string, hairspray, furniture polish and dry shampoo. Just make sure they are empty - and please remove the lid. Clean food and drinks cans, household cleaning product plastic bottles (bleach bottles), shampoo bottles, margarine tubs, yoghurt pots and vitamin bottles can all go in your blue recycling bin.
Plastic and foil food trays
These all go in your general rubbish bin - even if they are clean.
Food waste
You can compost vegetable and fruit peelings, teabags and egg shells. Do not compost cooked food, meat or fish. If you do not have a compost bin, all food waste should go in your green general waste bin.
Remember, plastic bags, nappies, polystyrene, ice cream tubs, clingfilm and bubble wrap must all go in the green general waste bin.
Glass bottles and jars
Please put these items in your glass recycling bin or take them to a local bottle bank or recycling centre.
Batteries
All household batteries can be recycled. Most shops that sell batteries and large supermarkets have collection containers. Please do not put batteries in your wheelie bins.
Clothes
Old clothes and textiles can be donated to charity shops - some even have door-to-door bag collections. Alternatively, take them to your local textile bank or recycling centre.
Toys
Unwanted toys that are in good condition can be sold online or donated to a charity shop. If they are broken, please put them in your general waste bin. If they contain batteries, please take them to your local recycling centre.
Recycling centres
Nottinghamshire County Council has 12 recycling centres. They are open every day in December and January from 8am to 4pm, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. You can find your nearest on the Nottinghamshire county council recycling centres page (opens in a new window).
Please note, Nottinghamshire County Council is the waste authority for Mansfield and the whole of Nottinghamshire. Please view their Recycling FAQs (opens in new window) for reasons why certain items cannot be recycled.