Christmas And New Year Holiday Arrangements
The Civic Centre and other Council offices and departments will be closed from 2pm on Wednesday 24th December 2025 until 8.30am on Friday 2nd January 2026.
Christmas Opening Hours - Registrars
The Register Office will be closed from 12.30 pm on Wednesday, 24 December 2025 and will re-open at 8.30 am on Monday, 29 December 2025. The Register Office will also be closed from 4.00 pm Wednesday, 31 December 2025 and will re-open at 8.30 am on Friday, 2 January 2026.
For urgent enquiries, please call our Emergency out of hours telephone number, 01685 385231.
Refuse and Recycling Collections
Your collection days over the festive period:
| Normal Collection Day | Will Be Collected On |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 25 December | Friday 27 December |
| Thursday 26 December | Saturday 28 December |
| Friday 27 December | Sunday 29 December |
| Monday 30 December | Monday 30 December |
| Tuesday 31 December | Tuesday 31 December |
| Wednesday 1 January | Thursday 2 January |
| Thursday 2 January | Friday 3 January |
| Friday 3 January | Saturday 4 January |
Bulky Household Waste Collections
There will be no bulky collections throughout the Christmas period.
The last day of collections will be Tuesday 24 December and they will resume on Monday 13 January.
Sharps and Dialysis
Sharps and dialysis collections will be made on the same day over the Christmas period so collections will take place on Friday 20 and Friday 27 December as normal.
Christmas Tree Recycling
Real Christmas trees will be collected on a request basis only.
Booking is available from Monday 2 December until Friday 3 January.
How to book:
Online: merthyr.gov.uk/book-a-christmas-tree-collection
Telephone: 01685 725000
Collections will begin on Tuesday 7 January 2025 for a two-week period only. Trees must be cut into manageable pieces, no longer than 1.5meters and no heavier than 25kg.
Household Recycling Centres (HRCs)
Our HRCs will be closed on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December, and Wednesday 1 January. Normal winter opening times (9am – 4.30pm) apply on all other normal operating dates.
| Operating Days | Dowlais HRC | Aberfan HRC |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 23 December | Open | Open |
| Tuesday 24 December | Closed | Open |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Open | Open |
| Saturday 28 December | Open | Open |
| Sunday 29 December | Open | Open |
| Monday 30 December | Open | Open |
| Tuesday 31 December | Closed | Open |
| Wednesday 1 January | Closed | Closed |
| Thursday 2 January | Open | Open |
| Friday 3 January | Open | Open |
Recycling
Please recycle all you can over the festive period at the kerbside or HWRCs.
Top tips:
- Brown paper is classed as packaging and can be recycled in your cardboard box only.
- Please rip off the back of your Christmas cards and recycle them in your cardboard recycling box (any parts of the card with glitter or ribbons will need to go in the non-recyclable bin.
- To prevent waste, use reusable gift bags instead of wrapping paper this year.
- Recyclable wrapping paper can be placed out in your paper recycling box – non-recyclable shiny or glitter wrapping paper must be placed in the grey wheeled waste bin due to the variety of mixed materials found on these products.
- Reduce food waste and save money by planning meals with leftovers.
- Recycle all food that cannot be eaten.
- Please fold down or break up cardboard boxes so they fit in the recycling box, please remove all other packaging before recycling.
- Don’t forget to recycle your batteries on the kerbside by obtaining a purple battery bag from your local library or HWRC.
- Recycle any broken or obsolete electric lights or decorations in carrier bag at the side of your recycling box.
- Recycle your clean foil in the blue bag.
- Having a pre-Christmas clear out? Donate any good, clean, reusable items to the New Lease of Life shop in Pentrebach CF48 4DR.
If you are not sure on what can be recycled, visit our website to check www.merthyr.gov.uk/resident/bins-and-recycling/how-to-recycle-correctly
A New Lease of Life reuse shop
Unit 20, Merthyr Tydfil Industrial Park, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 4DR.
Christmas and New Year opening times:
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | 9am-1pm |
| Christmas Day | Closed |
| Boxing Day | Closed |
| 27th December | 9.30am-4.30pm |
| 28th December | 9.30am-4.30pm |
| 29th December | 9.00am–4.30pm |
| 30th December | 9.30am-4.30pm |
| New Year’s Eve | 9am-1pm |
| New Year’s Day | Closed |
Emergency Drainage Problems
The telephone number for emergencies relating to drains serving Merthyr Valley Homes properties during the holiday period is 01685 385231.
Sewerage problems relating to all other properties should be directed to Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water on 08000 853968.
Social Services
For emergencies contact the Emergency Duty Team on 01443 743665.
Bank Holiday Burial Arrangements
MTCBC cemetery office opening hours Christmas 2025:
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday 22 December | 8.30-4.00 |
| Tuesday 23 December | 8.30-4.00 |
| Wednesday 24 December | 8.30-12.00 |
| Thursday 25 December | Closed |
| Friday 26 December | Closed |
| Monday 29 December | 8.30-4.00 |
| Tuesday 30 December | 8.30-4.00 |
| Wednesday 31 December | 8.30-4.00 |
| Thursday 1 January | Closed |
| Friday 2 January | 8.30-3.30 |
Cemetery opening times
MTCBC cemeteries are open for pedestrian access 24 hrs a day
Winter opening and closing times for Vehicle access.
1st October - 31st March
| Location: | Time: |
|---|---|
| Cefn Cemetery |
8am - 5pm |
|
Pant Cemetery |
8am - 5pm |
|
Beechgrove cemetery |
8am - 6pm |
|
Aberfan Cemetery |
open 24 hrs |
|
Graigfargoed Cemetery |
open 24 hrs |
Burial arrangements will be as follows:
| Paperwork In | Earliest Burial Date |
|---|---|
| Monday 22 December | Tuesday 30 Devember |
| Tuesday 23 December | Wednesday 31 December |
| Wednesday 24 December | Friday 2 January |
| Thursday 25 December | Closed |
| Friday 26 December | Closed |
| Monday 29 December | Monday 5 January |
| Tuesday 30 December | Tuesday 6 January |
| Wednesday 31 December | Wenesday 7 January |
| Thursday 1 January | closed |
| Friday 2 January | Thursday 8 January |
If you find any difficulty with these arrangements please telephone the Bereavement Services Office on 01685 725145/07714140268.
All MTCBC cemeteries are open to the public every day of the year, weather permitting.
Libraries Opening Times
All Merthyr Tydfil Public Libraries will be closed from 12:30pm on Wednesday December 24th and will re-open on their regular hours on Friday January 2nd.
Museum Opening Times
The museum will close on Tuesday 23 December 2025 at 4 p.m. and will not reopen until February 3 2026 at the earliest.
Significant restoration work is set to rejuvenate Cyfarthfa Castle, with major improvements scheduled to commence in January. As a result, the museum and tearooms will be temporarily closed from 23rd of December however, the castle grounds will remain open for public enjoyment.