Your kerbside collections will be affected this festive season.
Put your waste and recycling out on the correct day. Waste and recycling must be out by 7am, our crews work until dusk
Christmas 2023 collection days
Dates shown in Medway Matters
Please note that the date of Friday 5 January 2024 in the Medway Matters magazine is incorrect. The correct dates are shown below.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
There will be no brown bin or bulky collections from Thursday 21 December 2023 until Monday 8 January 2024.
If your normal collection day is on a Monday or Tuesday, your last collection before Christmas is Monday 18 December and Tuesday 19 December 2023.
| Normal collection day | Christmas collection day | What to put out |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 20 December | Normal collection day |
|
| Thursday 21 December | Normal collection day |  Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday 22 December | Normal collection day | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday 25 December | No collections | No collections |
| Tuesday 26 December | No collections | No collections |
| Wednesday 27 December | Normal collection day | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Thursday 28 December | Normal collection day | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday 29 December | Normal collection day | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday 1 January 2024 | Tuesday 2 January 2024 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Tuesday 2 January 2024 | Wednesday 3 January 2024 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Wednesday 3 January 2024 | Thursday 4 January 2024 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Thursday 4 January 2024 | Friday 5 January 2024 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Friday 5 January 2024 | Saturday 6 January 2024 | Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
| Monday 8 January 2024 | Normal service resumes |  Black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags |
Missed collections
If your street's waste and recycling is missed, we will try to collect it the next day. We will not collect individual homes missed collections.
If we do not collect your waste, please bring it back inside until your next collection day.
If it snows, services may be cancelled. Please check our Facebook and Twitter (X) page for updates.
Christmas: top tips
Recycling
If you need more reusable bags, you can order them online or visit your local library or hub.
Order reusable recycling bags online
Real Christmas trees
You can put them next to your brown bin for collection from Monday 8 January 2024.
Wrapping paper
Do the scrunch test: if it scrunches and stays in a ball it is recyclable and you can pop it in your blue bag.
You cannot recycle glitter or foil paper or cards.
Party clean up
Place bottles and cans in your white reusable bag or clear sack.
Wash cans and squash them to fit more in.
Having a clear-out
Donate items that are in good condition to your local charity shop or try and make a bit of extra money by selling them online.
You can also donate to Gillingham Street Angels at your local HWRC centre.
Try caddy liners
Buy 26 liners for just £2.20 from your local library to keep your brown bin cleaner until collections resume.
You can click and collect caddy liners online.
Recycle it right
Blue bag: paper and card only
In your blue bag please put:
- greetings cards (without glitter)
- wrapping paper (without glitter)
- envelopes
- cardboard packaging
- leaflets and catalogues
- newspapers and magazines.
Please do not put:
- plastic bags
- Christmas crackers
- food waste
- ribbon and string
- polystyrene
- clothing and textiles
- jars and cans.
White bag: mixed recycling
In your white bag and clear sacks, please put:
- glass bottles and jars
- food and drink cans
- clean metal foil
- plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays
- empty aerosols.
Please do not put:
- food waste
- batteries
- nappies
- electricals
- corks
- Christmas decorations
- ribbon and string.
Book a date to have a clear out
Check our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) festive period opening times.
You must book your trip to the tip.
There are no limits to how many visits you can book.
Fly tipping this festive season
If you think rubbish has been dumped illegally in a public area, report it.
Please tell us:
- where the fly-tipping is happening or has happened
- what the rubbish is and the amount of it
- if known, a description of the person fly-tipping or the registration number of any vehicle that was involved.
Follow us on social media
Follow us on Twitter (X) for even more top tips and information.
Sign up to our Cleaner Medway newsletter
Find out the latest local environmental news and stay on top of waste and recycling service news this Christmas and New Year by signing up to the Cleaner Medway ebulletin.