Post-Christmas, refuse collectors face the challenge of clearing mountains of festive waste, from torn wrapping paper to food scraps. Yet, our good intentions might inadvertently hinder their efforts.
Ahead of Christmas, one bin man has shared an important message, inviting us to contribute to eco-friendliness and aid waste management efficacy. While recycling festive paper and trim seems beneficial, it’s not always practical and complicates sorting for staff.
Bin man for St Helens Borough Council, in England, Danny took to their official TikTok account to warn: “Wait. Do you know what goes in what bin over the festive period? Wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards CANNOT go in your green or blue recycling bags here in St Helens borough. Most contain foil, plastic, glitter and glue – so please pop them into your brown general waste bin!”
However, in the comment section he also advised that every council is different, so you need to check with your local one before disposing of it. Explaining why they aren’t recyclable, Danny said: “It’s the glitter and foil on them. If it’s just plain old brown paper then that’s fine. Each council is different though – it’s just how it works here in St Helens so best to check with your council.”
According to Recycle Now, paper-based greeting cards and envelopes can he recycled at home or or at some out of home recycling points. However, parts of greeting cards that can’t be recycled are:
- Any embellishments such as ribbons or glitter, which you should tear off before recycling
- Batteries from musical cards, which could be recycled at official points
Similarly, wrapping paper can be recycled if it passes the ‘scrunch test’. According to Recycle Now, “if it scrunches, it can be recycled”. However, if there’s any sticky tape or decorations such as ribbons or bows, this should be removed. You also can’t recile foil or glitter-decorated tape.
Non-metallic gift bags can also be recycled. Similarly to the above, if they contain glitter or glue, that bit shouldn’t be recycled.
According to Forge Recycling, most local councils facilitate the collection of Christmas cards, gift bags and wrapping through mixed recycling bins, but you can check your local council’s guidelines using the Recyle Now Checker.