After the gifts are opened and the meals are finished, many of us are left with a mess of material to dispose of.
This holiday season, get a head start on cleanup and find out what can be recycled and what should go in the garbage.
Wrapping paper and greeting cards
One of the biggest contributors to holiday mess is wrapping paper.
“It unfortunately has to go in the garbage,” said Mark Kinsley, Superintendent of Waste Diversion. “The dyes can create a lot of problems and there are so many kinds.”
Despite its name, wrapping paper can be made of all kinds of materials like foil or plastic. These materials cannot be recycled in the same way that standard paper products can.
Greeting cards can also be made of materials other than paper. If your card has stickers, glitter, or foam on it, it will need to be thrown in the garbage.
“Foil, Styrofoam, packing peanuts, and bubble wrap also have to go in the garbage,” said Kinsley.
Holiday items you can recycle
Rigid plastic packaging from toys can be recycled; just make sure to remove any cardboard inserts first.
Empty cardboard boxes can also be recycled. Break them down so that they lay flat in your recycling bin to save space.
Clean food and beverage containers may be recyclable, but not all take-out containers are accepted.
“Even if the items have the recycling symbol on them, it doesn’t mean they are acceptable in Winnipeg’s program,” said Kinsley.
If you are not sure whether or not your item is recyclable, check the Recyclepedia.
Other ways to recycle
If possible, reuse or donate materials that can’t be recycled. Keeping items out of the landfill reduces your environmental impact.
You can also recycle your real Christmas tree once the holidays are over. We accept real Christmas trees at our Let's Chip In depots for free until January 31.