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People are being reminded not to leave items on the floor around bins at the island's recycling centres.
It is not allowed at any time of the year but is particularly important at Christmas with an increase in the amount of packaging to be recycled.
“It is actually an offence to leave items on the ground and it makes an awful mess," said Recycling Officer Tina Norman-Ross. "It’s just not worth it, since most items can now go into your kerbside recycling bags, and there is no limit on how many you can put out.
“If a bring bank is full, please take your items home again or to another site. It is only fair for the teams that clear the sites and keep them tidy all year round to have Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day off to spend with their families.”
Guernsey Waste is also confirming that this year there will no Christmas or New Year changes to normal collection nights for household waste and recycling. This is because of the days on which Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall.
More information is available HERE about what can be put out and when.
The Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue will be available to drop off any recycling and waste up until 12:00 on Christmas Eve. The site will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December. It will reopen on Wednesday 29 December and will also open on Thursday 30 December even thought it is usually closed on Thursdays. It will then close at 12:00 on New Year’s Eve.
More information is available HERE about opening times of waste sites.
Pictured: The island's waste collectors - including Clint Blondel (Santa) and Martin Le Prevost (one of Santa's elves) - will be working hard over Christmas and New Year to pick up recycling and black bag waste from thousands of households.
Ms Norman-Ross said that Guernsey Waste is always very busy over Christmas and New Year.
“This is the peak time of the year for waste and recycling, so we are encouraging everyone to be conscious of what they are producing, and reduce, reuse and recycle as much as they can," she said.
“We are really proud of islanders’ efforts. In 2020, we recycled more than 72% of our household waste, which is a phenomenal achievement and puts us up there with the very best.
“Each week, we now pick up more than 180 tonnes of materials for recycling – food waste, paper, cardboard, plastic, tins, cartons and glass. That is even more than the weight of an adult blue whale – the largest animal on the planet.
“Santa won’t be the only one working late at night this Christmas to make sure he gets to every home in Guernsey. If we are lucky, most of us will get the opportunity to put our feet up for some time over the holiday. We should perhaps spare a thought for, and maybe raise a glass to, all the waste and recycling collection crews and the staff at the various waste sites, as this is one of their busiest times of the year.”
Guernsey Waste is the responsibility of the States' Trading Supervisory Board in its role as the island's Waste Disposal Authority.
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