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Changes to bin collections | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle | Winter 2025
Alternate weekly collections starting in February 2026
Lewes District Council will introduce alternate weekly collections (AWC) for household waste and recycling from February 2026, to increase the district's recycling rate.
New calendars will be sent out in January detailing the new collection days.
The new system will see refuse (black sack waste) collected fortnightly, while recycling collections will also remain fortnightly, alternating with the refuse collection day. Crucially, weekly food waste collections will continue, along with weekly collections for non-infectious medical waste for those who register.
This approach is a way to encourage residents to think more carefully about what goes in each bin, bringing the Lewes district in line with the rest of East Sussex and most other councils in England.
Our Food Waste Collection Scheme is a weekly service which is collected on the same day as your refuse and recycling using our dedicated electric vehicles.
All your food scraps – from eggshells and peelings to cooked food and leftovers, including bones and meat carcasses – can go into your food waste recycling bin.
It is taken to a local facility and composted into a soil conditioner for local farmers.
Outdoor food waste caddies can be locked by putting the handle all the way forward to deter pests.
To help you adapt to AWC and ensure you have enough capacity, the following options are available and can be requested via our website at lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/bins
Please continue to put your bins out at the edge of your property by 6 am on your collection day. Once emptied, please store your bins within your property boundary and not on the path as soon as possible.
Post-celebration recycling and reuse guide
As the festive celebrations end, and you begin to survey the remnants of the day, a sea of discarded wrapping paper, toy packaging, and cardboard boxes, it's easy to reach for the waste bin. However, a significant portion of these materials can be reused or recycled, making a positive impact on the environment
To ensure the best recycling results, please remember these important steps:
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Prepare Cardboard Boxes: Before placing them in the recycling, always remove any plastic inserts, polystyrene packaging, and excessive sticky tape from cardboard boxes.
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The 'Scrunch Test': Only non-foil wrapping paper is accepted in recycling bins. To check, simply scrunch the paper into a ball. If it remains scrunched and does not spring back open, it is likely non-foil and can be recycled.
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Remove Non-Recyclables: Ribbons, glitter, and bows cannot be recycled and must be removed. Please tear off the parts of the card or paper that include these extras.
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Charity Donations: If you have unwanted decorations that are still in good condition, consider donating them to charity shops. This allows them to be re-sold and reused by others.
For more comprehensive advice on how to reduce your overall waste, we encourage you to visit the following resource: www.recyclenow.com/reduce-waste
Changes to bin collections over the festive period
There will be some changes to your upcoming waste collections due to the festive bank holidays!
Any changes to your regular refuse, food, recycling, and garden waste collection days will be shown on your calendars, which can be downloaded from www.environmentfirst.co.uk
Winter break for garden waste collections
Due to significantly lower use of the service over the Christmas period, each year there is a four-week winter break in collections.
This year our garden waste collection service will be paused from Monday 22 December 2025, through to Friday 16 January 2026.
We will still collect real Christmas trees after the winter break if cut up into pieces less that 100mm in diameter.
Information regarding 2026 service renewals will be issued in early January 2026.
Real Christmas tree recycling drop off point locations
If you have opted in to our paid garden waste collection service, you can recycle your real Christmas tree by cutting it up and placing it in your brown bin.
Please make sure all decorations, tree stands and pots are removed before recycling.
Alternatively, you can take it to one of the many collection points across Lewes District between 23 December 2025 and 23 January 2026.
Peacehaven
Piddinghoe Avenue car park, BN10 8QX
Newhaven
Bay Vue Road car park , BN9 9RJ
Seaford
Buckle car park, Marine Parade, BN25 2QR
Richmond Road car park, BN25 1DB
Lewes
Brook Street Car Park BN7 2PE
Booking system now in place for household waste recycling sites (HWRS) in East Sussex
East Sussex County Council introduced a booking system at household waste recycling sites (HWRS) in East Sussex from November 2025.
The new system requires residents to book a time slot up to two weeks in advance of their visit.
To find out more or book a slot, visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/booking-system-background
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Our Environment First team would like to extend their warmest wishes to all of our residents over the holiday season.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
If you would like to stay up to date with information about other services, such as planning, consultations, recycling and tourism, please click manage preferences below.
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