Did you know?
The US EPA estimates that during the holidays, Americans discard 25% more material than normal. That’s a lot to handle! See below for helpful holiday tips on what goes where.
Recycle
- Cardboard boxes (gift, shoe, and shipping; flattened)
- Holiday letters and envelopes
- 100% paper gift bags
- Clean pie tins and aluminum roasting pans
- Used beverage containers (bottles and cans)
- Tin cans and glass jars
Organics
- Leftovers that were forgotten in the back of the fridge for too long
- Tree trimmings, pine cones, and natural adornments
- Meal prep scraps
- Table scraps and bones
- Paper napkins
- 100% paper plates
- Real corks
- Poinsettias(without plastic pots, florist foam, or wire frames)
Trash
- Tinsel
- Glossy gift bags and wrapping paper
- Gift tissue paper, foil or cellophane wrap
- Plastic or plastic-coated plates and cups
- Plastic utensils
- Holiday cards(if glossy or embossed)
- Ribbons and bows (if can’t be reused later)
- Styrofoam packing
- Broken ornaments
- Plastic corks
- Plastic plant pots, florist foam, and wire frames
- Broken dishes
- Plastic gift cards
More Tips
- Got a new gadget? Recycle the old one! Electronics are recycled as part of your bulky item service. Visit our website for more info on this program. Electronics do not belong in any of the above containers.
- Batteries go with your e-waste, not in any of the above containers.
- If your string of lights doesn’t make it through the season, those go with your e-waste, not in the trash.
- Remember to separate paper and plastic before you recycle. Multi-material items can’t be recycled.
- As an alternative to packing material, using shredded paper works just as well as Styrofoam and can be recycled later.
- Remember to rinse and dry your containers before recycling. Food residue in your sour cream tub makes it harder to recycle – and can attract pests.
- For everyday recycling, visit our website for lists of what goes where.
