RESIDENTS are urged to cut down on waste and recycle where possible in the run up to Christmas.

Hartlepool Council is encouraging residents to make full use of recycling collection services at this time of year, which sees households produce more rubbish than usual.

The town’s Household Waste Recycling Centre in Burn Road will be open throughout the festive holidays from 8.30am to 4.30pm daily, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

As well as normal household waste, the centre also accepts rigid plastic toys and electrical appliances, which cannot be recycled via kerbside collections. After Christmas, the council will collect real Christmas trees for shredding. Kerbside collections will take place early in the new year.