How to Recycle at Christmas

Christmas is that time of year when family and friends come together and celebrate the festive season, and with the celebrations come presents, packaging, and decorations, all containing plastic and other materials that can be recycled. However, there are some materials that cannot be recycled that you should be aware of.

So, what can or can’t be recycled?

Christmas Trees – ‘Real’ Christmas trees can be recycled and turned into woodchips to be used in places like parks, gardens, and homes. Some local authorities collect Christmas trees after the Christmas period at organised collection points. If you use the alternative ‘fake’ Christmas trees, these are made from a combination of materials, so most of these can’t be recycled and should be kept for reuse or handed to charity shops for resale.

Christmas Cards – Most cards are paper-based, meaning they can be recycled along with their envelopes. Some cards include extra decorations like bows, ribbons, and glitter, which can’t be recycled, so remove these features before recycling.

Christmas Decorations – Most Christmas decorations like baubles, tinsel, and other tree ornaments aren’t recyclable; however, if you keep them in good condition, they can be reused time and time again. Even glass baubles aren’t recyclable because they are normally covered in glitter and other small decorations – you should dispose of them by wrapping them and putting them in general waste (check your local waste collection for guidelines).

Packaging – Many forms of packaging are left during the festive celebrations, including plastic packaging, cardboard packaging, tins and tubs, cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, gift tags, and much more. All these materials can be recycled at home or thrown away at local recycling points.

Wrapping Paper – Many wrapping paper manufacturers now create wrapping paper that is recyclable, however, most wrapping paper is still made out of a foiled or laminated material, or covered in glitter or sellotape, which can’t be recycled. If you scrunch your wrapping paper into a tight ball and it stays scrunched, you can recycle it, if not then you should dispose of it in general waste.

Here at Rayda, we ensure all our plastic waste is recycled and disposed of properly. If you would like more information on how to recycle certain products or want to learn more about plastic manufacturing, contact us today, and we will be happy to help.