Festive recycling

We all tend to produce more waste than usual over the festive period. Paul Laughlin, pictured right, from Hampshire County Council’s Waste and Recycling team offers some advice to help avoid an overflowing rubbish bin come Boxing Day.

Where can I recycle my old Christmas tree?

You can take your old Christmas tree for composting to any of Hampshire’s 24 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), which are open every day except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. To find your nearest site, visit our waste and recycling website or call 0845 603 5634*.

Can I put my old Christmas cards in the recycling bin?

Yes you can, along with the envelopes. Alternatively, why not cut the pictures from your old cards into gift tags for next Christmas?

Why can’t I put wrapping paper in my recycling bin?

Wrapping paper is usually made of low quality paper that often contains plastic and foil and can also be covered in bows and sticky tape, all of which make it unsuitable for recycling. The quality of the fibre is low and there is a lot of waste when it is pulped.

What should I do with unwanted gifts?

If you aren’t able to return them to the shop, why not pass them to friends or family who may enjoy them? Alternatively, auction them through eBay or give them away through Freecycle. Your local charity shop may also be glad of a donation. When the time comes for buying presents for others, consider giving a gift experience or vouchers — these create less waste and offer something to suit everyone.

What should I do with leftovers?

Boxing Day leftovers don’t have to be all about turkey sandwiches. Visit Love food hate waste website for lots of exciting recipe ideas, as well as helpful tips on reducing the amount of food waste you throw away. Also, see the recipes advert on page 26 of the PDF version of this edition for more inspiration.

Don’t forget to keep up your usual recycling over Christmas — paper, cardboard, tins, cans and plastic bottles can all go in your recycling bin or sack and all those empty glass bottles and jars can go to your local bottle bank. And please remember to quickly rinse anything that has contained food, to stop nasty smells and soggy paper!

For more information, visit Recycle for Hampshire website.