The holidays are right around the corner and WM is shining a festive light on what to put in the recycling versus the trash can. From aluminum roasting pans, wrapping paper, wine bottles, garland, Christmas lights, and more, WM has all the answers locals need so they can jingle into the holidays a bit “greener” this year.
Below, you will find a list of ‘dos’ and ‘don'ts’ when it comes to recycling typical holiday items:
- Aluminum Roasting Pans- Yes, these can go into the recycling bin, but you MUST wipe out any food residue. Pans with too much oil and residue cannot be recycled.
- Wrapping Paper- Yes and no. Plain brown paper is perfectly recyclable but paper with foil, glitter or plastic coating cannot be recycled.
- Wine or Cider Bottles- Yes. Please put all glass bottles and jars in your single-stream cart.
- Broken Ornaments- No. The glass used in glass ornaments is too delicate to recycle and plastic ornaments are generally made from mixed materials that also cannot be recycled.
- Garland- No. Garland and other “rope-like” items get wrapped around the moving parts of the sorting equipment and can cause it to break, therefore, these items are not recyclable.
- Christmas Lights- No. Christmas lights cannot be recycled. In addition, they wrap around sorting equipment and can cause it to break.
- Snow/Cable Chains- No. These can snag on moving parts in the system and injure workers. Drop off scrap metal for free at the Transfer Station on Commercial Row.
- Ribbon- No. Ribbon is generally not made from a recyclable material and will get wrapped around sorting equipment.
To see the full list of holiday item recycling tips, click here.
Learn more about how recycling in our local community is handled, including how to schedule a tour of the Eco Center Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), please check out RenoRecycles.com.
