Christmas and New Year bin collection changes in Greater Manchester including Manchester, Salford and Bolton

Councils across Greater Manchester have revealed their plans for bin collections over the festive period. 

There are some different dates for collections this year for residents to be aware of – with Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day all falling during the week. The majority of town halls have confirmed Bank Holiday collections will be hit, with alternative collection days in place.

Bolton

In Bolton some bins will be collected earlier over the Christmas period. If the beige or maroon bin collection date is December 25 the revised collection date will be one of December 18, 19, or 20. Similarly, beige or maroon bin collections due on December 26 will be collected on December 20, 21 or 22.

If the beige or maroon bin collection date is January 1 the collections will be on January 3, 4 or 5. For grey bins if the collection date is Christmas Day the bin will be collected on December 27 or 28. For Boxing Day grey bins the date is December 28 or 29 and for New Years Day expected collections, the new dates are January 2 or 3. Green bin collection is suspended from December 18 to January 7.

Bolton Council have requested residents leave bins out for the days listed or look up the exact collection date at www.bolton.gov.uk/next-bin-collection by typing in an address.

Bury

In Bury collection changes for the week between Christmas and New Year have been announced. Grey, green and blue bin collections will change to one day later than usual. So if the normal collection date is Tuesday, December 26 the bins will be collected on Wednesday, December 27.

Bins normally expected to be emptied on Wednesday, December 27 will be picked up on Thursday, December 28, those due on Thursday will be collected on Friday and Friday collections will happen on Saturday, December 30.

The council have said severe weather and winter illness can sometimes delay collections at this time of year. If the collection in your street is missed, leave bins out and the council will empty your bins as soon as they can. Brown bin collections are on hold for two weeks from December 25 to January 5. This is because there is less garden waste at this time of year and so that our crews can put extra effort into emptying your other bins which fill up more quickly at this time of year.

Household waste recycling centres are open every day from 8am to 6pm (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). Local centres are at Every Street in Bury; Cemetery Road in Radcliffe and Lumns Lane in Clifton.

Manchester 

On the week of Christmas, starting Monday, December 25, everyone’s bin day moves two days forward (so for example a usual Friday bin day will be picked up on Sunday). On New Year’s week everyone’s bin days moves one day forward (so for example a usual Friday bin day will be picked up on Saturday). For anymore information visit https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200084/bins_rubbish_and_recycling/7094/bins_and_recycling_at_christmas

Oldham

In Oldham, there will be changes to waste and recycling rounds due on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Bins due on Monday, December 25 will be collected on Saturday, December 30 instead, including green bins and food caddies. Bins due on Tuesday, December 26 will be collected earlier on Saturday, December 23 instead, including green bins and food caddies.

Bins due on Monday, January 1 will be collected on Saturday, January 6 – apart from green bins and food caddies which will be collected on Monday, January 8 as normal. Oldham residents can recycle their Christmas trees by putting it in the green bin. Just chop it into small pieces, remove the wooden block from the base of the tree as this is too big to be composted, and take off any lights and decorations.

Alternatively, you can take it to Arkwright Street Household Waste and Recycling Centre or leave it at one of the collection points in the following parks (from December 28 to January 31):

• Higher Memorial Park (car park), Joseph Street, Failsworth (open 7.30am until dusk)
• Royton Park (car park) off Bleasdale Street, Royton (Open 7.30am until dusk)
• Werneth Park (car park) off Frederick Street, Werneth (open 7.30am until dusk)
• Churchill Playing Fields (car park), Wellington Road, Greenfield. Anytime access.
• George Street Playing Fields (car park), off Milnrow Road, Shaw.

Rochdale

There is only one change for Rochdale residents to know about this year, which is for Boxing Day collections. The bins will be collected on Saturday, 30 December 2023 instead of December 26. For more information visit https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/contact-us/office-closures-updates

Salford

In Salford, collection days are the same as usual except for Boxing Day. The replacement day for that will be Saturday, December 23.

Stockport

There are no collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day in Stockport. You can check your collection calendar for details of when your waste and recycling will be collected over the festive period. Alternatively, visit https://www.stockport.gov.uk/find-your-collection-day   

There will be no garden collection (green bin/caddy) week commencing December 25.  Garden collections will start again from Saturday, December 30. In addition, the council has teamed up with St Anne’s Hospice Christmas tree collection service, who will be picking up trees once residents have completed a registration form. For more details, visit https://www.sah.org.uk/get-involved/christmas/christmas-tree-recycling/

The opening times for the Household Waste Recycling Centres in Stockport can be found at Stockport – Recycle for Greater Manchester

Tameside

The main changes in Tameside come on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. If you are due a collection on Christmas Day, alternatively green bins will be collected on Wednesday, December 27 and the black and blue bin will be collected on Friday, December 29. If you are normally due a collection on Boxing Day, the green bin collection will change to Friday, December 29 and the black and blue bin collection will change to Tuesday, January 2.

For New Year’s Day collections, green bin collections will change to Wednesday, January 3 and blue and black bins will change to Thursday, December 4. There will be no brown bin collections between December 25 and January 5.

Trafford

Over the festive season some bin days will change in Trafford. The council has urged residents to check their bin collection calendar to see which day they need to present your bins during this period. Bin collections will take place as normal, the week commencing Monday, December 19. 

On the week commencing Monday 26 December, bin collections will take place a day later than normal. The council are also taking additional household waste and recycling over the festive period. Place any extra cardboard next to your blue recycling bin on your first collection after Christmas only. Place two small rubbish bags next to your grey bin on your first collection after Christmas only. Any extra waste placed out after this collection will not be removed.

Wigan

For Wiganers bin collections will be one day later between December 26 and December 30. Green bin collections will be suspended from Boxing Day until Friday January 5, they will resume on the week commencing Monday, January 8. Recycling centres will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Open every other day 9am-5.45pm.