Guide to recycling and waste collection in Redland, Bristol, over Christmas

Redland has always been pretty eco-conscious but nowadays it can be difficult to keep track of refuse collection and recycling - but thankfully Bristol City Council has released its guide to recycling over the Christmas period.

If you can't re-use your wrapping paper, then put it in your black box (as long as it's paper and not plastic coated or foil). And all your cardboard packaging, Christmas cards, glass bottles and jars can be recycled too. For a full list of what can go in your black box, click HERE.

Remember, don't just bin your old electrical gadgets – from games consoles to mobile phones, hair-dryers to TVs, they can all be taken to one of the council's two Household Waste Recycling Centres in Days Road, St Philips and Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth. The gadgets are stripped down, with all possible parts being recycled and the hazardous chemicals disposed of.

Depending on where in Redland you are, there are revised collection days to take into account the Bank Holidays. A full list can be found HERE. A spokesman for the council said: "Don't worry if you have a little extra waste that can't be recycled after Christmas. The collection crews will take two additional black sacks as side waste on your first waste collection after Christmas."

And what about after the big day? Bristol's kerbside collection scheme for real Christmas trees is back in January, so once you've taken down the decorations, remember to put your tree out. All residents can take advantage of this scheme, which runs from Tuesday 3 until Thursday 19 January 2012. Make sure you've removed all the decorations, the pot and as much of the soil as possible first and then put it out on your usual collection date. You can also take your tree to Bristol Zoo Gardens' north car park, between Friday 6 and Friday 20 January 2012, or to either of the council's two household waste recycling centres any time throughout the year. All the trees collected are taken for composting.

Finally, if you often produce a high level of recycling and would like to have more recycling containers, you can order additional black boxes or brown food waste caddies and bins by calling the council's customer service centre on 0117 922 2100.