The festive period can lead to an overwhelming amount of waste, from packaging like cardboard boxes to Christmas cards and gift wrapping.
Thankfully, our refuse collectors are on the job swiftly after the holidays, helping residents by collecting discarded items. However, one bin man has voiced a crucial reminder to residents about the importance of correct disposal in light of service changes during Christmas week.
As waste and recycling collection schedules are altered over Christmas, those usually serviced on December 25 might find their bins emptied on a different day. Luckily, Bristol Council has a handy bin collection day finder to make life easier.
Correct bin usage is vital not only for environmental well-being but also to alleviate the additional strain on waste handlers as they resume services. In an effort to educate, Bin man Danny from St Helens Council created a ‘what goes where’ guide for the festive season’s disposables on the council’s TikTok page, imparting advice many weren’t aware of.
Danny accompanied his video featuring both a recycle bag and brown wheelie bin with a caption: “What goes where? Recycling and waste collections start up again tomorrow [December 27] after a short Christmas break… so make sure you’re putting things in the right bins/bags!
“Wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards belong in the brown bin [non-recyclable]. Cardboard goes into the green bag [recyclable cardboard] after being flattened.”
But some people pointed out in the comments that bin colours can vary by council – so for some, brown bins are for garden waste, and in some areas, wrapping paper, gift bags, and cards can be recycled.
According to Recycle Now, paper-based greeting cards and envelopes can be recycled at home or at certain out-of-home recycling points. However, certain parts of greeting cards cannot be recycled:
- 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
Wrapping paper can be recycled if it passes the ‘scrunch test’, according to Recycle Now: “if it scrunches, it can be recycled”. But sticky tape or decorations like ribbons or bows should be removed, and foil or glitter-decorated tape cannot be recycled.
Non-metallic gift bags can also be recycled, but glitter or glue should be removed.
Most local councils collect Christmas cards, gift bags, and wrapping through mixed recycling bins, according to Forge Recycling. Check your local council’s guidelines using the Recycle Now Checker.