Bins and Recycling
Over Christmas and New Year, there are some changes to household bin collections. This follows discussions with our staff and to allow them to enjoy some well-deserved time off over the Christmas and New Year period, while still keeping services running.
Please check your collection dates and remember to leave your bin out by 6.30am.
| Scheduled Collection Day | New Collection Day |
| Thursday 25 December 2025 | Saturday 27 December 2025 |
| Friday 26 December 2025 | Sunday 28 December 2025 |
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | Saturday 3 January 2026 |
| Friday 2 January 2026 | Sunday 4 January 2026 |
Important:
- These changes apply only to grey-lidded bins scheduled for collection on the dates above.
- Recycling collections will not take place on these dates. If your recycling was due, it will be collected on your next normal recycling day.
- Collections on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday remain as normal.
Bins scheduled to be emptied on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of these weeks are planned for collection as normal.
Extra rubbish and recycling
We cannot collect extra rubbish placed beside your grey-lidded bin. Please make sure everything fits inside the bin.
Extra recycling (paper, cardboard, cans, plastics) will be collected on your next recycling day. You can leave it in a cardboard box or plastic bag, but the bag will be emptied and left behind.
Food waste
There will be no food waste collections on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 and Thursday 1 and Friday 2 January 2026. Your next food waste collection will be 8 or 9 January.
You can put food waste in your grey-lidded bin if needed.
All other food waste collections will operate as normal.
Bulky uplifts and white goods
There will be no bulky uplift or white goods collection service between 23 December 2025 and 5 January 2026.
Bin-collection calendar
You can "check your bin collection days" on the "Bins and Recycling" section our website. On it, householders can type in their postcode and see their correct festive-period bin-collection date.
Commercial waste collections
Customers will receive a letter/email advising of alternative collection dates.
Christmas Tree Disposal
Real Christmas trees
Real Christmas trees can be taken to a recycling centre and put in the green waste container to be composted. Alternatively, real Christmas trees can be put out for collection with householders' grey-lidded rubbish bins until Friday 31 January 2026. The trees should be cut into manageable lengths of up to 1 metre in length.
Electrical/fibre optic Christmas trees
Due to the electronic component in these trees, they need to be disposed of at recycling centres and placed in the "small domestic appliances" container. Broken tree lights can also be placed in this container.
Unwanted artificial Christmas trees
Artificial Christmas trees with non-electrical fittings can be placed in your grey-lidded rubbish bin for disposal or disposed of at a recycling centre.
Batteries
You can recycle most household batteries using a pink recycling bag and leaving it out with your regular kerbside collection service. Batteries are a fire hazard if not recycled properly, so do not put them in any of your bins. You can also dispose of household batteries at a recycling centre or in containers provided at supermarkets and larger shops that sell batteries.
Recycling Centres
Please refer to the booking system for opening times throughout the festive period. You will only be able to book for days and times that centres are open.
All recycling centres are closed on:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
Sites that normally open on Wednesdays will close at 4pm on Wednesday 24 December and Wednesday 31 December.
Remember a booking is required: Find a recycling centre
Please do not leave any waste outside a closed recycling centre as this is a prosecutable offence.
Recycling and glass recycling points
Local recycling points and glass recycling points will remain available and will continue to be serviced for use over the festive period.
Bus Services
Please see bus timetables for details of changes to all bus services in the region over the festive period.
Contact Centre (Telephone and Email Enquiries)
The Customer Contact Centre will be closed for calls on the following dates:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
The Out of Hours Service will operate 24 hours a day over this period, as it normally does, for emergency calls 030 33 33 3000.
The main Social Work number 030 33 33 3001 will remain open, including out of hours calls.
For the remainder of the festive period normal opening times will operate 9am to 5pm.
Crisis Grants/Scottish Welfare Fund
The Financial Wellbeing and Revenues service will be closed on the following dates:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
Normal opening hours and contact arrangements will be in place outwith these times.
The team will aim to contact anyone who makes an application for Crisis Support before 12noon on 24 or 31 December by the end of that day.
The quickest way for an application to be submitted and processed is to do so online at Apply online.
Call-backs for applications will be taken by the Contact Centre on the following dates:
- From 9am to 5pm on Monday 22 December
- From 9am to 5pm on Tuesday 23 December
- From 9am to 3pm Wednesday 24 December
- From 9am to 5pm on Monday 29 December
- From 9am to 5pm on Tuesday 30 December
- From 9am to 3pm Wednesday 31 December
Customer Services/Registration Offices
All Customer Service Centres are closed on:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
The Ewart Library will close at 5pm on 24 and 31 December 2025.
North West Community Campus Customer Service Centre will be closed from 19 December 2025 until 6 January 2026.
In the event of an emergency registration please call 030 33 33 3000.
Environmental Health and Trading Standards
Environmental Health and Trading Standards will be closed for normal business from 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen at 9am Monday 5 January 2026.
Homelessness and Housing Options
Housing Options and Homeless Services will be closed on the following dates:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
Contact within the dates above will be answered by the Out of Hours team on 030 33 33 3001 (24 hours).
On all other dates, the Housing Options and Homeless Services will be providing full telephone assistance during office hours 9am-5pm*.
- If you find yourself in need of accommodation outwith our opening times, please contact our Out of Hours service on 030 33 33 3001.
- If you need housing options advice this can be accessed via https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/housing/homelessness
- Emergency Repairs for D&G Homeless Furnished Temporary Accommodation can be reported to 01387 271190.
*Contact details:
- 01387 260783 (Dumfries)
- 01776 888312 (Stranraer)
- 01461 207019 (Annan)
- 01557 332234 (Kirkcudbright)
Leisure Facilities
All leisure facilities are closed on:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
Opening times outwith these days may differ:
| Mon 22 Dec | Tues 23 Dec | Wed 24 Dec | Sat 27 Dec | Sun 28 Dec | Mon 29 Dec | Tue 30 Dec | Wed 31 Dec | Sat 3 Jan | Sun 4 Jan | |
| Annan Swimming Pool | 7am to 7.30pm | 7am to 7.30pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | 9.30am to 3pm | 9.30am to 3pm |
| Newington | 7am to 9pm | 7am to 9pm | CLOSED | 9.15am to 2.45pm | CLOSED | 9.15am to 2.45pm | 9.15am to 2.45pm | CLOSED | 9.30am to 3pm | CLOSED |
| FUN Pool | 12pm to 8.30pm | 2pm to 7pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | 9.30am to 1.30pm | 1pm to 4pm |
| Hillview Leisure Centre | 2pm to 9pm | 2pm to 9pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Eskdale Centre | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Lockerbie Academy | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| DG1 | 6am to 7pm | 6am to 7pm | 7am to 1.30pm | 7am to 3pm | 7am to 3pm | 6am to 7pm | 6am to 7pm | 7am to 1.30pm | 7am to 3pm | 7am to 3pm |
| Dumfries Ice Bowl | 8am to 11pm | 7.30am to 12am | 7.15am to 2pm | 6am to 12am | 6.30am to 11.30pm | 6.30am to 11pm | 6.45am to 12am | 7.15am to 2pm | 6.15am to 12am | 8.15am to 11.30pm |
| Castle Douglas Pool & Fitness Suite | 7am to 8pm | 7am to 8pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | 9am to 3pm | CLOSED |
| Merrick Leisure Centre | 7am to 10pm | 7am to 10pm | 7am to 1pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 8.30am to 5pm | 10am to 5pm |
| Ryan Centre | 6am to 9pm | 6am to 9pm | 6am to 1pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 7.30am to 5pm | 8am to 5pm |
Licensing
Licensing will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen at 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Museums and Galleries
All museums and galleries are closed on:
- Thursday 25 December 2025
- Friday 26 December 2025
- Thursday 1 January 2026
- Friday 2 January 2026
Opening times outwith these days may differ:
| Mon 22 Dec | Tues 23 Dec | Wed 24 Dec | Sat 27 Dec | Sun 28 Dec | Mon 29 Dec | Tue 30 Dec | Wed 31 Dec | Sat 3 Jan | Sun 4 Jan | |
| Gracefield Arts Centre | CLOSED | 10am to 5pm | 10am to 3pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | 10am to 5pm | CLOSED |
| Castle Douglas art Gallery | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| The Stewartry Museum | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 2pm | 11am to 4pm | CLOSED | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 2pm | 11am to 4pm | CLOSED |
| Kirkcudbright Galleries | CLOSED | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 2.30pm | 10am to 4pm | 11.30am to 4pm | CLOSED | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 2.30pm | 10am to 4pm | 11.30am to 4pm |
| Tolbooth Art Centre | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 2pm | 11am to 4pm | CLOSED | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 4pm | 11am to 2pm | 11am to 4pm | CLOSED |
| Stranraer Museum | CLOSED | 10am to 12.30pm, 1.30pm to 4pm | 10am to 1pm | 10am to 12.30pm, 1.30pm to 4pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | 10am to 12.30pm, 1.00pm to 4pm | 10am to 1pm | 10am to 12.30pm, 1.00pm to 4pm | CLOSED |
| Castle of St John | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Dumfries Museum | CLOSED | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm | CLOSED |
| Robert Burns Centre | CLOSED | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | CLOSED |
| Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre | 10am to 9pm | 10am to 9pm | 10am to 5.45pm | 11am to 10pm | 11am to 10pm | 11am to 10pm | 11am to 10pm | 11am to 5.30pm | 11am to 9pm | 11am to 9pm |
| Burns House | CLOSED | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm | CLOSED |
| Midsteeple Box Office | CLOSED | 10am to 2pm | 10am to 1.30pm | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
Planning and Building Standards
Please note that the Planning and Building Standards service will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 until 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Social Work
On 24 and 31 December, the main Social Work number 030 33 33 3001 will remain open, including out of hours calls.
For the remainder of the festive period normal opening times will operate 9am to 5pm.