 The end of the month is your last chance to apply for both Adopt a Tree Pit and Pollinator Pathways. Why not join the 250+ residents who have already pledged to adopt a tree pit near where they live? The Adopt a Tree Pit form takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and your efforts can make such a difference to our borough. In case you're wondering – a tree pit is the soil area at the base of trees on the street, which is perfect for planting wildflower seeds.
Successful applicants are provided with wildflower seeds to plant and attract those all-important pollinators such as bees and butterflies, whilst also reducing the need for chemical spraying on their adopted tree pits. Previously adopted tree pits? All adoptions last for 12 months, if you would like to continue your great work and re-adopt, you will need to reapply this year.
Want to go a step further and remove your entire street from the chemical spray list? Take a look at our Pollinator Pathways scheme! This is an opportunity to remove your entire street from the chemical weed control spraying schedule, creating a pesticide-free corridor of pollinator friendly plants by manually controlling plant growth, alongside adopting all tree pits on your street.
Applications for both schemes will close at 11.59pm on Sunday December 31 - so get applying now!
 Wondering about your bin collection dates over the festive period? You can find out about the changes affecting your collection days here.
Make sure you get your recycling right, find a complete list of what you can recycle on our website.
Do you have items that can't be recycled via your kerbside collection? Check out the list of accepted materials and opening times at Chigwell Road reuse and recycling centre.
 This January we will be supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s Buy Nothing New Month campaign. Simply put it's about buying nothing new, but instead repairing and repurposing what we already have - to help reduce what we need to buy and therefore our waste too. This is not only a win for the planet but also our pockets as we can save money by using what we have, repairing and buying less. We will be sharing our top tips for repairing and reusing, as well promoting community events throughout the borough. To start us off we have three dates for your diary:
Community clothes swap
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Wanstead Library Wednesday 17 January 2024 between 5pm and 7pm. Free entry includes refreshments, clothing up-cycling and up to 5 ‘new to you’ items. Find out more.
Redbridge Repair Cafés
Keep an eye on our Facebook page throughout the month of January for more information.
 Once the festivities are over, there are two ways to dispose of your Christmas Tree this year. We’ll collect real Christmas trees, for free, to recycle. To ensure collection you must:
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Leave your tree at the boundary of your property by 6am on Monday 8 January.
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Remove all decorations.
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Ensure your tree is clearly visible.
We’ll be collecting your tree anytime between January 8 and 19 so please ensure your tree is placed at the boundary of your property by 6am on Monday 8 January to avoid missing collection.
This year there is also another option for collection as we're delighted to be partnering with Haven House who will also be collecting trees in Redbridge for a small donation.
Alternatively, you can take your Christmas tree and other items to Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycling Centre, just remember to check opening hours over the festive period.
Redbridge gritters have already been out and about this winter, helping residents get to where they need to be and keeping our roads safe. Did you know just how many miles the gritters cover and how many tonnes of salt they get through? You are in the right place to find out!
 ‘Tis the season to rest and recharge our batteries, but let’s not forget about our literal batteries that are hiding in plain sight. Can you see where the battery is hiding on our Christmas tree in the above photo with Winnie the Pooh nearby? If you’re clearing out toys, tech or toothbrushes this festive season to make space for new gifts don’t forget to remove and correctly recycle their batteries. We’re not just talking AA batteries; all batteries, including the small round “button” batteries can cause damage and harm if not correctly recycled - they can even be found in Christmas decorations!
So if you’re passing on electronics or taking them to Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycle centre to be recycled please remember to remove and recycle your batteries – finally a use for those tiny screwdrivers in your Christmas cracker! Most supermarkets, some libraries and even schools have battery recycling points. Not sure where to recycle your batteries? Pop your postcode in Recycle Your Electricals recycling locator for a list of your nearest battery recycling points.
 As a result of proactive patrols in the Borough, Environmental Enforcement Officers' attention was drawn to a large deposit of fly tipped waste on the public highway. Local enquiries were made with a nearby business who denied any knowledge or responsibility. Officers not easily deterred by the lack of information, immediately commenced searching each of the bags and as a result of the search, evidence came to light which implicated the business where enquiries were initially made.
The business owner was approached again by the investigating officers and evidence was shared with them. It was quickly established that the rubbish was commercial waste from their business and that it had been deposited unlawfully. The business was issued with two Fixed Penalty Notices totalling £700 and were required to dispose of the waste at their own expense, later supplying the waste transfer note as evidence.
A great example of the investigative work of our Environmental Enforcement Officers and proof that it pays to dispose of your waste right first time!
More than 170 fast chargers for electric vehicles are being installed in Redbridge to boost the borough’s EV network and support greener travel thanks to a landmark project with Uber. The project is part of the borough’s bid to support local people to adopt more sustainable and greener travel choices including making the switch from petrol or diesel to electric vehicles. Find out more here.
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