As we work our way through Christmas South Cambridgeshire District Council are urging us not to forget about re-cycling. Apparently last Christmas they picked up about 5,000 tonnes of waste and recycling after the festive break and as each tonne of waste sent to landfill costs the Council £56 in taxes recycling extra waste produced this Christmas can both can protect the environment and and save us on our council tax.

To help people slim their black bins and recycle the extra waste created this Christmas, SCDC’s waste team are giving festive advice:

• Food Waste – Don’t throw food in your black bin – instead create delicious meals, home compost it, or put food waste in your green bin. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for ideas.
• Real Christmas trees can be cut up into small pieces and put in your green bin or can also be taken to the household recycling centre in Butt Lane for composting. The recycling centre will be open at their normal opening times except Christmas Eve afternoon when they will close at 1 pm, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
• Wrapping paper – please put wrapping into your blue bin, but not in the paper caddy. Plastic or foil wrapping paper cannot be recycled and should go in your black bin.
• Christmas cards – These can go in your blue bin, but be super green by cutting them up and using them as present tags for next year.

Cambridgeshire County Council are also getting in on the act. They would like to remind you that goods that are in working order but have been replaced during the Christmas season – like toys, books or clothes – can be donated to charities that will give them a new lease of life and raise money for good causes. See the map of charity shops on the RECAP site to find out the nearest charity shop and textile bank location.