Liverpool Christmas bin collections 2026/27

Have this year's dates been announced?

Not yet. The council hasn't published its Christmas and New Year changes for 2026/27. Last year's notice came out on 15 December 2025, so this year's will probably land around the middle of December. We'll update this page as soon as it does.

Last year the changes started on Christmas Day. Collections moved back by between one and four days, the crews worked three Saturdays after Christmas, and things were back to normal by 19 January 2026. The year before followed a similar pattern, starting on Christmas Day with three Saturdays worked.

Other bank holidays don't affect your bins. The council collects as normal on those.

If your street or building uses communal bins, the council usually empties those every two days. Last year's Christmas notice didn't mention communal bins at all, so it's worth checking with the council if you're not sure.

When green bins stop for winter

The last green bin collections of 2026 are on Friday 27 November 2026, and they won't start again until Monday 22 February 2027.

You have to pay for green bin collections in Liverpool. If you want them, you can sign up on the council's website.

Grey food waste bins

The council is gradually bringing in free weekly food waste collections, so not every street has them yet. If yours does, the grey bin goes out every week on the same day as your purple and blue bins. Last Christmas it moved with them.

Getting rid of a real tree

Once Christmas is over, you can take a real tree to either of the city's recycling centres, where it gets shredded into chippings for compost. If you're throwing out a metal artificial tree, that goes in with the scrap metal.

Last winter the council also set up 13 drop-off points for real trees around the city, open from 2 to 23 January 2026. It announced them just before Christmas, so we'll add this year's here if it does the same. Last winter's sites were:

• Stanley Park, Priory Road car park (L4)
• Everton Park, viewing platform, Netherfield Road North (L5)
• Newsham Park, Gardener's Drive near the Sheil Road end (L7)
• Sefton Park, Review Field, Ullet Road gate (L8)
• Croxteth Park, Oak Lane car park (L11)
• Wavertree Park, Tennis Centre car park (L15)
• Otterspool Promenade, first car park (L17)
• Calderstones Park, Calderstones Road car park (L18)
• Calderstones Park, Yew Tree Road car park (L18)
• Menlove Avenue Triangle, Menlove Gardens/Green Lane (L18)
• Long Lane Recreation Ground, Garston (L19)
• Alderfield Road, Speke, beside Millwood (L24)
• Boys Club car park, Woolton High Street (L25)

Only leave trees at the official sites.

Wrapping paper, lights and batteries

• Wrapping paper can go in your blue bin, as long as it isn't plastic or metallic.
• Glittery or shiny wrapping paper goes in your general waste.
• Foil and foil trays can go in the blue bin.
• Plastic bags, cling film and plastic padding can't go in the blue bin.
• Christmas lights and other electricals can go to any recycling centre.
• Batteries should never go in your bins at home. Take them to a recycling centre or drop them in a battery bin at the supermarket.
• Cardboard boxes need flattening, with any polystyrene taken out, before they go in for recycling.

This comes from the council's own "What goes in my bins?" page and the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority's Christmas guidance from 2024, the most recent version we could find.

Are the tips open over Christmas?

Liverpool has two recycling centres, and through the winter (1 October to 31 March) they're open 8am to 5pm.

• Otterspool, Jericho Lane, Aigburth, L17 5AR. There's no way in on foot, so you'll need to drive.
• Old Swan, Cheadle Avenue, L13 3AF. There's a gate if you're walking in.

Both are open every day of the year except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

If you're taking a van, a single-cab pick-up, a trailer between 2 and 3 metres long, or certain cars with the back seats out or blacked-out windows, you'll need to book a slot first. Booking is free, and you don't need one in a normal car. Vans and large trailers are limited to 12 visits a year. See the full booking rules.