SUSTAINABLE waste management and recycling company Biffa has released its top tips about dealing with our extra waste this Christmas.
One in four households estimate that they throw away an extra five bags of waste at Christmas time, and 40% of people worry that they are confused about what can and cannot be recycled.
Biffa explains whether some of the UK’s main Christmas waste items are recyclable:
1. Christmas trees: DO usually get recycled after they are collected by councils or dropped off at a specialist facility. They are turned into mulch which is used in agriculture.
2. Wrapping paper: CAN be put in your general recycling – as long as they are not glittery or laminated. Any tape should also be removed as much as possible.
• Top tip: As a general rule, use the ‘scrunch test’ to see if your wrapping paper is recyclable – scrunch the paper up in your hand then open your hand. If it stays scrunched it can be recycled and if it springs back it most likely cannot.
3. Christmas cards: CAN be added to your recycling – just make sure they do not have glitter or extra decorations on them.
4. Bubble wrap: CAN be recycled.
5. Advent calendars: The card outer can usually be recycled as long as it is not glittery or laminated. Make sure you take out the plastic and foil inside before putting in the recycling bin – this part is more complicated as the two materials are fused together.
6. Leftover food: All of the scraps from your Christmas dinner can go into your food waste bin if you have one – this should help to ease the consciences of the 50% of people who buy more food than they need over Christmas.
Fran Morrissy at Biffa said: “There is a lot of confusion out there about what can and cannot be recycled, which becomes even more prominent during the festive period when the UK is creating a lot more waste than usual.
“An impressive 68% of the UK would like to have a greener Christmas and we want to help people achieve this by offering our advice on the area we know best – managing waste.”