Waste and recycling collections are often rescheduled around public holidays, and placing bins out too early or on the wrong day could result in missed pickups, overflowing bins, or even fines.
A spokesperson for BusinessWaste.co.uk said: “The August bank holiday can cause interruptions to waste schedules and confusion for residents.
“It’s everyone’s responsibility to check whether their waste collection will be affected by the longer weekend to ensure they don’t miss out and have to wait until their next collection.
“This avoids unnecessary stress and the risk of bulkier collections, as well as potential health and hygiene hazards caused by not leaving waste out in the open for too long.”
Lewisham bank holiday bin collection changes
All bin collections, Sunday, August 24 to Saturday, August 30 – including general, food, garden waste and recycling – will be collected one day later than normal due to the bank holiday on Monday, August 25.
For example, if your rubbish is normally collected on a Tuesday, it’ll be collected on Wednesday for this week.
Lewisham residents are encouraged to check the council’s website, look out for leaflets, or monitor community groups to stay updated on revised collection dates.
Putting bins out too early can lead to fines, as councils consider this a public nuisance.
If you’re away during collection, consider asking a neighbour to put your bin out on the correct day.
Missed collections generally won’t be revisited unless the fault lies with the council.
If this happens, residents are advised to wait until the next scheduled pickup and secure their waste to avoid attracting pests.
To make the most of limited bin space, residents can break down boxes, squash bottles, and flatten cans.
Using food caddies and composting can further reduce general waste.
Using a neighbour’s bin or a public bin is not permitted and can result in fines of up to £1,000 for fly-tipping.
Lewisham Council also warns that using public bins or dumping waste elsewhere is classed as fly-tipping.
Those struggling to manage excess waste can explore extra collection services or request an additional bin from the council.
