Changes to your waste collection over the festive period

During the festive period, your waste collection day may change...

Week 1

To find your updated collection schedule, please refer to your collection calendar or you can check your bin day here.

Maximise space in your recycling bins by crushing and flattening items before placing them inside.
For households who now have their recycling collected fortnightly, if you have 4 or more residents living in your property you can apply for an additional 240-litre blue-lidded bin.
Households who have the smaller 140-litre bin, can apply for the standard 240-litre bin.
To confirm your specific collection dates, check your collection calendar or you can check your bin day here.
You can put out an extra bag of recycling in a see-through or clearly marked sack next to your recycling bin on collection day.
If you are unsure what you can and can't recycle and which bin to use you can find all of the information here.

For those who subscribe to the paid garden waste collection service, collections will pause from Wednesday 24 December 2025 until Friday 9 January 2026.

Starting from 19 January 2026, our environmental partner Veolia will collect real Christmas trees for recycling, even if you are not subscribed to the paid garden waste collection service.
To ensure collection, please make sure the tree is in sections of 4 feet or less and remove all decorations
Place it at the edge of your property, ensuring it does not obstruct pavements or pathways.

For your first collection after Christmas, you may place out two extra bags of non-recyclable waste and one extra bag of recycling if it is a clear bag and marked correctly.

This time of year can lead to extra waste, check out Herts Waste Aware's easy guide for simple tips to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Please remember that batteries should never be placed your household waste or recycling bin (this includes vapes).
When damaged or crushed during collection and processing, they can cause fires and pose a serious safety risk.
Always remove batteries from old electronics and recycle them properly using designated battery recycling bins at your local recycling centre.

If you have any questions, please contact our Veolia team on enquiries.watford

Thank you for helping us keep Watford clean and green over the festive season! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Stay up to date with changes to your waste and recycling collection and get them straight to your inbox, sign-up to our resident newsletter here.

Published: 9th December 2025