Collections will be take place on altered dates over the holidays
The final countdown to Christmas is on, and while the main focus for many of us will be sorting presents, wrapping and preparing those roast dinners, there is one other important factor to bear in mind over the holidays – the bins.
Every year, collections for rubbish, recycling, food and garden waste see some alterations to their collection dates around the Christmas and New Year’s period.
With each of the 13 different council areas across Kent operating slightly differently when it comes to bin collections and their changes over the festive season, it can all get a little confusing. So, KentLive has stepped in to help clear things up by rounding together the full details on all the changes to bin collections taking place across each part of the county this winter.
Both Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve fall on a Thursday this time around. Generally, changes to collections will begin from Christmas Day itself, with collections then taking place two days later due to the bank holiday on Boxing Day, though some may need to keep hold of their bins even longer due to the weekend.
To save you spying on your neighbours to work out when to pop your wrapping paper-filled rubbish bags out, we’ve broken down the full details on collection changes for each part of Kent right here. See when your waste will be collected below.
Ashford Borough Council area
Alterations to recycling, refuse and food waste collections will begin from Christmas Day. Those who would usually be due to have their bins collected on Thursday, December 25 will instead see them taken on Saturday, December 27.
Collections that would take place on Boxing Day will instead go ahead on Monday, December 29. Alterations will also take place around New Year’s Day with normal recycling, refuse and food waste services to resume from Monday, January 12.
Garden waste collections are suspended from Thursday, December 25 and collections will resume on residents’ normal day of collection from Thursday, January 8.
Canterbury City Council area
Garden waste collections will stop for the winter period after Friday, December 19 2025 and will resume from Monday, January 19 2026. While collections are paused over winter, you can still take your garden waste to your local household waste recycling centre. See below for the changes to collection dates around Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.
Dartford Borough Council area
Changes to bin collections around the Dartford Borough Council area will begin from Christmas Day and normal collections are expected to resume from Monday, January 12 2026. Find the full details below.
Dover District Council area
There will be no collections on Thursday, December 25 or Friday, December 26 therefore collections from Thursday, December 25 2025 to Friday, January 2 2026 will be altered. There will be no garden waste collections from Monday, December 22 2025 to Friday, January 2 2026 inclusive. Collection dates will change as follows:
- Monday December 22 – No change
- Tuesday December 23 – No change
- Wednesday December 24 – No change
- Thursday December 25 moved to Saturday December 27
- Friday December 26 moved to Monday December 29
- Monday December 29 moved to Tuesday December 30
- Tuesday December 30 moved to Wednesday December 31
- Wednesday December 31 moved to Thursday January 1
- Thursday January 1 moved to Friday January 2
- Friday January 2 moved to Saturday January 3
Folkestone and Hythe District Council Area
There will be some changes to household waste and recycling collection dates over Christmas and the New Year period in Folkestone and Hythe. Garden waste collections are taking their usual break for Christmas, with the last collection on Friday, December 19 2025 and the service will then resume on Monday, January 5 2026.
Gravesham Borough Council area
Full details on the changes to waste and recycling collections around Gravesham can be seen below. Normal collections resume on Monday, January 12 2026.
Maidstone Borough Council area
There will be collection changes to domestic, recycling, food and garden waste between Thursday, December 25 2025 and Monday, January 12 2026. Bins will be collected as follows
Garden waste will be suspended from Thursday, December 25 2025 until Thursday, January 8 2026. Garden waste will be collected as follows:
Medway Council area
Kerbside collections will be impacted across the Medway towns this festive season. There will be no brown bin or bulky item collections from Friday, December 19 2025 until Monday, January 12 2026.
A spokesperson for Medway Council added: “Put your waste and recycling out on the correct day. Waste and recycling must be out by 7am, our crews work until dusk. Real Christmas trees can be put out next to your brown bin from Monday 12 January for collection.”
- Monday, December 22, no change, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Tuesday, December 23, no change, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Wednesday, December 24, no change, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Thursday, December 25, bins will instead be collected on Saturday, December 27, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Friday, December 26, bins will instead be collected on Monday, December 29, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Monday, December 29, bins will instead be collected on Tuesday, December 30, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Tuesday, December 30, bins will instead be collected on Wednesday, December 31, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Wednesday, December 31, bins will instead be collected on Friday, January 2, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Thursday, January 1, bins will instead be collected on Saturday, January 3, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Friday, January 2, bins will instead be collected on Monday, January 5, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Monday, January 5, bins will instead be collected on Tuesday, January 6, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Tuesday, January 6, bins will instead be collected on Wednesday, January 7, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Wednesday, January 7, bins will instead be collected on Thursday, January 8, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Thursday, January 8, bins will instead be collected on Friday, January 9, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Friday, January 9, bins will instead be collected on Saturday, January 10, put out black sacks, clear sacks and blue and white reusable bags.
- Monday, January 12, collections return to normal, put out brown bin, black sacks, clear sacks, white and blue reusable bags.
Sevenoaks District Council area
Most collections around the district will take place later than usual. Garden Waste Collection Service will not be running from Monday, December 15 until Monday, January 12 when the services will resume.
Thanet District Council area
There are some changes to household waste and recycling collections this year. Garden waste collections will pause from Monday, December 22 and resume on Monday, January 19.
If your household waste and recycling collection is due on Thursday, December 25, it will be collected five days earlier on Saturday, December 20 instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
If your collection is due on Friday, December 26, it will be collected one day later on Saturday, December 27 instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
If your collection is due on Thursday, January 1, it will be collected two days later on Saturday, January 3 instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.
There are no other changes to scheduled waste and recycling collections. Please ensure your bins are out by 6am on your usual collection day.
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council area
Waste, recycling and garden waste collections will run on schedule up to and including Wednesday, December 24. They will change from Thursday, December 25 over the festive period. All collections will be back to normal from Monday, January 12 2026.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council area
Collections will continue as normal up to and including Wednesday, December 24 2025 before alterations take effect. Regular collections will then resume from Monday, January 12 2026. Alterations will be as follows:
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