Common Holiday Items: To Recycle or Not Recycle, That is the Question
The holidays bring joy, sparkle… and a lot of packaging. As you unwrap gifts, deck the halls, and prepare meals, it’s the perfect time to refresh your recycling know-how. While many Christmas items look recyclable, not all belong in your curbside recycling cart. Here’s a quick guide to help you sort with confidence.
Gift Packaging and Wrapping
Cardboard boxes are curbside-friendly—just break them down and flatten them out before placing them in your cart. Plain paper gift wrap is recyclable too, but foil, glittered, or plastic-coated wrap is not accepted. Cardboard rolls inside wrapping paper is recyclable. Gift bags can go in recycling if they’re plain paper with no handles; however, handles,ribbons, and decorative attachments should be removed. Tissue paper is often too thin to recycle, so best to put it in your trashcan.
Cards and Gift Tags
Paper holiday cards and envelopes without embellishments are fine for your cart. Cards with glitter, metallic foil, or musical components should stay out. Save decorative pieces for reuse next year!
Lights and Electronics
Christmas lights are never accepted in curbside recycling carts. They tangle machinery and cause major problems at sorting facilities. This goes for extension cords, ropes, and other wires as well.
Decorations
Most ornaments, tinsel, garlands, and artificial trees are made from mixed materials and should not go in your carts. Consider donating or reusing them whenever possible.
Food Containers
Food is not recyclable. Consider composting instead. Empty plastic tubs, plastic bottles and cups are recyclable. Cardboard food boxes and cartons are recyclable. Steel, metal and aluminium cans are recyclable. Glass bottles and jars are recyclable. Just empty them first. Dirty foil and greasy cardboard (like pizza boxes) cannot be recycled.
Cups
New this year! You can now put empty plastic and paper to-go cups in your curbside recycling cart. But no Styrofoam™ or Solo® cups or plastic straws, please.