Holiday Recycling Guide

The holidays bring joy—and mountains of confusing trash! Is that shiny paper recyclable? Does this ribbon belong in the bin? Before you recycle that glittery card, let’s check the guide

Here is your ultimate survival guide to holiday waste.

Yes, Recycle It!

These items are clean, simple, and ready for a new life–toss them in the recycling bin.

• Cardboard Boxes: Must be broken down flat and clean.
• Empty Wrapping Paper Tubes
• Newspapers, Magazines, Catalogs
• Metal cans, clean aluminum
• Popcorn and cookie tins
• Plain Greeting Cards & Paper Gift Boxes
• Plastic Bottles, Jugs, and Tubs: Must be with #1, #2, #3, #4 , #5 or #7 symbols only.
• Empty Metal Cans (Soda, vegetable, soup, etc.): Must be clean.

No, Trash it!

These items look recyclable, they feel recyclable, but they are not and can contaminate a whole bin of recyclables. They belong in one place: the trash bag.

• Glittery or Metallic Wrapping Paper
• Ribbons and Bows
• Bubble Wrap & Bubble Mailers
• Gift Bags (save them for next year!)
• Styrofoam
• Ornaments (please wrap if they are glass)
• Fake Christmas Tree (Or bring it to our one of our Drop-off Sites)

Do NOT Put These in Your Weekly Trash or Recycling

Putting these items in your regular trash bin is a major no-no. They are either hazardous or require special disposal.

Please call your local landfill/solid waste authority or contact our office at 866-525-4506 to find out the best way to dispose the items below.

• Your Real Christmas Tree
• Broken String Lights: These are the ultimate “tangler.” They are considered e-waste. Never, ever put them in your trash or recycling.
• Batteries: Old batteries (especially lithium-ion) are a massive FIRE HAZARD in garbage trucks.

When in doubt, don’t assume it is recyclable. Throw it in the trash. It’s better to send one recyclable item to the landfill than to contaminate an entire truckload of good recycling.