Residents in Helston and the surrounding area are being reminded when to put out their rubbish and recycling over the Christmas holidays.

Other than on Christmas Day (December 25th), bin collections will take place as normal over the festive period.

The following changes will be made to collections over Christmas.

Collections due on Christmas Day:

• Rubbish due to be collected on Christmas Day will be collected on Friday 1st January.

• Recycling due to be collected on Christmas Day will be collected on Saturday 2nd January.

• Garden waste due to be collected on Christmas Day will be collected on Saturday 2nd January.

Collections due on Bank Holiday Monday (Monday, December 28th) will take place as normal.

If your collection is due on any other day of the week over the Christmas period your rubbish and recycling will be collected as usual.

It may be that the time of collection is different than usual. So ensure that you have your rubbish and recycling out by 7am.

Rob Nolan, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection at Cornwall Council, said:

"The rubbish and recycling teams will be working hard over the Christmas period so please help them by making sure you put your sacks out at the right time on the right day.

"We always see a lot of extra waste over Christmas. Remember to recycle as much as you can and try not to waste too much food. This handy portion control guide is a great way to make sure you don't end up throwing excess in the bin."

Collections over Christmas are included in the annual collection calendar.

Real Christmas trees (under 6ft) will be collected for composting on the weeks beginning 11 January and 18 January. The trees will be collected on the alternate week to your recycling collection. Place your tree out for collection besides your rubbish.

Remember, your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) is open every day from 9am to 4pm, except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Please always observe social distancing measures to protect staff, other users and yourself. Read the signs on-site and follow staff advice and instructions.

Some HWRCs have been very busy in recent weeks. To manage the number of people at the sites and keep them covid-secure, the number plate entry system remains in place.

If the last digit of your vehicle number plate is even then you should only visit an HWRC on an even date of the month. If the last digit of your vehicle number plate is odd then you should only visit an HWRC on an odd date of the month.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Waste and Recycling team on 0300 1234 141.

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