Green Christmas in HRM, what can be recycled
Posted Dec 23, 2016 06:53:31 AM.
Last Updated Dec 23, 2016 07:30:39 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Santa will be arriving on Sunday, and after all those presents under the tree are opened, most of us will find ourselves surrounded by mounds of coloured wrapping paper.
Halifax Regional Municipality spokesperson Tiffany Chase told NEWS 95.7 most of that paper can avoid the trash can.
“Wrapping paper can be recycled with your paper recycling, the exception would be foil gift wrap, so the shiny type of wrapping paper isn’t recyclable, that would have to go into your garbage,” explained Chase.
She added if your presents comes in box board, that can also go in with the paper recycling, corrugated cardboard should be bundled and placed next to paper recycling.
Chase said to keep blue bag material separate from the paper recycling, this includes recyclable containers, bottles, used tin foil and plastic bags.
She said with all the packaging on new items, we can cut down on waste by thinking carefully about the gifts we choose to give.
“Using reusable gift bags, having some homemade items that don’t generate new packaging where possible,” she said. “Think about giving experiences instead of actual physical items, like tickets to concerts or events.”
If Santa brings you a new TV, tablet or computer, Chase said you can check online to find electronics recycling in Halifax, or if your old item is still working, you can give it away or resell it.
“Reduce and reuse before we look to either recycling or dispose of those materials, that will help keep a lot of materials out of our landfill,” she said.
When the holidays are over and it’s time to put away the decorations, Chase said real trees will be collected on your regular green cart collection day after Christmas, but the they must be bare and not still in a stand.
“Believe or not, we’ve actually seen people put fully dressed Christmas trees out to the curb, so please remove tinsel, ornaments and any other decorations from the tree.”
HRM says there will be no changes to curbside collection, with services going as usual on Monday December 26th, and Monday January 2nd.
The Otter Lake Waste Management Facility, the Halifax Recycling Plant and municipal composting facilities will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The Household Special Waste Depot in Bayers Lake will be closed on both Saturday, December 24 and Saturday, December 31.
