• New kerbside recycling service for cartons
• Minimal changes to waste and recycling collections over the Easter bank holiday

A new kerbside recycling service for food and drink cartons will begin from Wednesday 1 April, making it easier for residents to recycle even more from home.

Cartons such as juice cartons, long‑life milk cartons, soup and sauce cartons and other Tetra Pak style packaging can now be placed straight into the green recycling box with plastics and cans. This simple change means more everyday items can be recycled without any extra effort.

To get cartons ready for collection, please rinse and flatten them to save space. Lids can stay on.

Councillor Paul Baker, cabinet member for waste, recycling and green open spaces, said: “I’m delighted that residents will be able to recycle cartons at the kerbside from 1 April. This is a really positive addition to our recycling services, especially as cartons are something most of us use every week. By collecting cartons alongside plastics and cans, we’re making it easier for residents to recycle more from home and reduce what goes into general waste.

“With Easter just around the corner, it’s also a good moment to remind residents that there are only minimal changes to collections this year. Our crews will be out working hard as always, and we appreciate the effort residents put into recycling – it really does make a difference.”

Easter waste and recycling collections

There will be minimal changes to collections over the Easter bank holiday. Crews will be working on Good Friday (Friday 3 April) so collections will take place as normal on that day. No collections will be made on Easter Monday (Monday 6 April); collections that week will be a day later than usual.
Crews will be working up to and including Saturday 11 April to complete the catch-up. All collections will be back to normal from week commencing Monday 13 April.

Please note that in some areas refuse and recycling collections take place as early as 7am so please make sure bins, boxes, bags and caddies are presented in good time.

What you can recycle this Easter
Scrunch aluminium foil from Easter eggs into a ball and recycle these in your green box. If the foil springs back open when scrunched, this means it’s laminated and should go in your general rubbish bin.

Cardboard boxes and plastic trays can go in your kerbside recycling for collection; please flatten them to save space.

Easter cards and envelopes can be recycled at home in your kerbside recycling; if they have glitter or foil they can be recycled at Cheltenham’s Cobalt Unit or put in general waste.

Leftover Easter food can be frozen and used at a later date or made into more delicious meals. Visit Love Food Hate Waste for recipe ideas.
Any inedible food waste such as cabbage stalks can go into your food caddy or fed to pets.

Flexible plastic bags and wrapping from items like hot cross buns, bread bags, carrier bags, fruit and veg wrappers, biscuit and crisp packets, and other flexible plastics can still be recycled at local supermarkets.

We are starting to expand our kerbside flexible plastic bags and wrappings recycling service following a successful trial in some areas. More households will be added as the rollout progresses during 2026. Residents will receive full details and a collection bag ready for when the service begins in their area. Updates will be shared on our website as the rollout reaches new areas.

For information regarding other bank holidays in 2026 visit the council’s website, and find out more about waste and recycling.