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Householders in Sefton and the Liverpool City Region are being asked to recycle right this Christmas and New Year – but to take care when visiting Recycling Centres and continue to follow the national COVID-19 guidance.

Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) and its contractor Veolia are reminding local people that the region’s 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres are open most days – except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – from 8.00am until 5.00pm during winter*.

Many items are accepted at Recycling Centres such as cans, cardboard, garden waste (including real Christmas trees), glass jars and bottles, paper, large plastics, scrap metal (including metal artificial trees), textiles, toys and white goods. All the Centres accept electrical items, don’t forget to remove any batteries and recycle them separately.

As the Centres are particularly busy at this time of year, MRWA and Veolia are asking householders to, if possible, consider the following:

● Try and separate your waste before visiting your local Recycling Centre. This way you’ll be able to deposit things more easily and help reduce queues at sites.
● Remove polystyrene and flatten cardboard boxes before placing them into the recycling container – it will take up less room.
● Don’t fly-tip your waste outside a Recycling Centre as this is illegal and you could be fined or prosecuted.
● If using a van or large trailer, you will need to pre-book your visit at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk
● Wrapping paper can be recycled using your local council’s kerbside recycling bin, bag or box and at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

● If your wrapping paper has a decorative / shiny / glossy / glittery surface it should be disposed of in your local council’s kerbside residual bin.

● Please don’t bring us plastic bags – try to reuse them as much as possible and next time you go shopping why not buy a bag-for-life?
● Avoid putting recyclable items in your black ‘residual’ bin bags. If you cut down on this then there’ll be less chance you’ll have excess black bin bags to bring to your HWRC.
● Bring us your cans and bottles – millions of extra drinks cans and bottles are used during the festive period!
● After Christmas you can bring your real Christmas trees to our Recycling Centres where they’ll be shredded and turned into chippings for compost.
● An excess of oil is used over the Christmas period, with festive food such as turkey, roast potatoes and fry-ups on the menu. Used cooking oil tanks can be found at all Recycling Centres in Merseyside.
● If there are items like toys, electrical items, bric-a-brac you don’t need after Christmas, you could donate them to local charity shops or community groups.
● Households with COVID-19 symptoms should leave waste for at least 72 hours before disposal. Personal waste should be safely double bagged.
● Why not make a New Year’s resolution to recycle more often? Visit www.recycleright.org.uk for more information about what you can and can’t recycle.

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “A lot of waste is created at this time of the year so it’s a good chance to boost the region’s recycling levels. Our Recycling Centres will happily accept people’s packaging, bottles and cans – and we’d love your real Christmas trees. Whatever you do, please don’t fly-tip outside the Centres as this is illegal and you could be fined.”

Jeff Sears, Director of Veolia Merseyside & Halton, said: “Recycling Centres will be open throughout the festive period – except Christmas day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – so bring all your extra Christmas recycling. Don’t forget to plan ahead and view the layout online before you come to speed up your visit.”

Household Waste Recycling Centres will be CLOSED on the following days ONLY over Christmas and New Year:

CHRISTMAS DAY (Saturday 25th Dec)
BOXING DAY (Sunday 26th Dec)
NEW YEAR’S DAY (Saturday 1st Jan)