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With Christmas now just around the corner, details have been confirmed on the changes to bin collections around Kent over the festive period. Across each of the 13 districts, alterations to waste pickups vary from place to place, so it can be a little confusing knowing when to actually pop your bins out.
As ever, changes tend to begin from Christmas Day itself with collections then taking place two days later due to the bank holiday on Boxing Day. This year, Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday, as does New Year’s Day.
Many Kent councils have confirmed details on how bin collections will change around New Year’s as well, which residents will need to be aware of. To save you spying on the neighbours to see when they put their rubbish out, KentLive has rounded up all the changes from around the county.
See below for the full details on how bin collections will change where you live around Christmas and New Year’s.
Ashford Borough Council area
Alterations to recycling, refuse, food and garden collections across Ashford will commence from Wednesday, December 25. The normal recycling, refuse and food waste service then resumes from Monday, January 13.
(Image: Ashford Borough Council)
Canterbury City Council area
Information on bin collections around the Canterbury City Council (CCC) area this Christmas season has yet to be confirmed. We will update this article as soon as such information is available. KentLive has approached CCC for details.
Dartford Borough Council area
Ahead of the altered collections over the holidays, Dartford Borough Council has said: “Every effort will be made to collect your refuse, recycling and garden waste on the anticipated days shown below. However, adverse weather, particularly snow/ice and extreme hot weather, can cause delays.
“If your bins are not emptied on the anticipated days, please bear with us and leave them out, as Urbaser will empty them as soon as they are able.” Collections will return to normal from Monday, January 13.
(Image: Dartford Borough Council)
Dover District Council area
There will be no collections on Wednesday, December 25 or Thursday, December 26, therefore collections from Wednesday, December 25 2024 to Friday, January 3 2025 will change as below:
- Wednesday, December 25 to Friday, December 27
- Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28
- Friday, December 27 to Monday, December 30
- Monday, December 30 to Tuesday, December 31
- Tuesday, December 31 to Wednesday, January 1
- Wednesday, January 1 to Thursday, January 2
- Thursday, January 2 to Friday, January 3
- Friday, January 3 to Saturday, January 4
There will be no garden waste collections from Monday, December 23 2024 to Friday, January 3 2025 inclusive. Find out more on the collection dates for your property here.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council area
(Image: FHDC)
Gravesham Borough Council area
There will be no garden waste service from Sunday, December 22 to Monday, January 6 inclusive. Garden waste collections will follow the waste collection schedule commencing Tuesday, January 7. All other waste collections will return to normal from Monday, January 13.
(Image: Gravesham Borough Council)
Maidstone Borough Council area
There will be collection changes to domestic, recycling, food and garden waste between Wednesday, December 25 2024 and Monday, January 13 2025. For the week beginning Monday, January 6 2025, all collections are delayed by one day.
For example, Monday, January 6 2025 will be collected Tuesday, January 7 and so on during the week. Friday collections will also be one day late and collected on Saturday.
Garden waste will be suspended from Friday, December 27 2024 until Monday, January 13 2025. Bulky collections will be suspended from Monday, December 23 2024 until Monday, January 13 2025 while clinical collections will run as normal over the Christmas period.
(Image: MBC)
Medway Council area
There will be no brown bin or bulky item collections from Monday, December 23 2024 until Monday, January 13 2025. See below for the full details on Christmas alterations for waste collections around Medway in 2024.
| Normal collection date | Revised collection date | What to put out |
| Friday, December 20 | No change |
Brown bin, black sacks, clear sacks, white and blue reusable bags |
| Monday, December 23 | No change |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Tuesday, December 24 | No change |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Wednesday, December 25 | Friday, December 27 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Thursday, December 26 | Saturday, December 28 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday, December 27 | Monday, December 30 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday, December 30 | Tuesday, December 31 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Tuesday, December 31 | Thursday, January 2 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Wednesday, January 1 | Friday, January 3 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Thursday, January 2 | Saturday, January 4 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday, January 3 | Monday, January 6 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday, January 6 | Tuesday, January 7 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Tuesday, January 7 | Wednesday, January 8 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Wednesday, January 8 | Thursday, January 9 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Thursday, January 9 | Friday, January 10 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday, January 10 | Saturday, January 11 |
Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday, January 13 | Back to normal |
Brown bin, black sacks, clear sacks, white and blue reusable bags |
Swale Borough Council area
Garden waste collections for Wednesday, December 25 and Thursday, December 26 will instead take place two days later while collections for Friday, December 27 will be collected on Monday, December 30. Normal garden waste collections will then be suspended from the week commencing Monday, December 30 and will resume their regular schedule from Monday, January 13 2025.
Refuse, recycling, clinical waste and food waste will follow the below altered collection schedule:
(Image: Swale Borough Council)
Sevenoaks District Council area
Most collections will take place later than usual across the Sevenoaks district. The Garden Waste Collection Service will not be running after Friday, December 13 until Monday, January 13 when a normal service will resume. All collections will return to normal from Monday, January 13.
(Image: Sevenoaks District Council)
Thanet District Council area
- If your collection is due on Wednesday, December 25, it will be collected earlier on Saturday, December 21 instead. Ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
- If your collection is due on Thursday, December 26, it will be collected two days later on Saturday, December 28 instead. Ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
- If your collection is due on Wednesday, January 1, it will be collected three days later on Saturday, January 4 instead. Ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
There are no other changes to scheduled waste and recycling collections
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Garden waste collections will pause from Monday, December 23 and resume on Monday, January 20.
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If your clinical waste collection is due on Wednesday, December 25, it will be collected two days earlier on Monday, December 23. If your clinical waste collection is due on Wednesday, January 1, it will be collected two days earlier on Monday, December 30.
All other clinical waste collections will continue as normal
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council area
Waste, recycling and garden waste collections will run on schedule up to and including Tuesday, December 24. They will change from Wednesday, December 25 over the festive period. All collections will be back to normal from Monday, January 13 2025.
(Image: TMBC)
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
(Image: TWBC)
