Piles of beautifully wrapped boxes and bags under the tree quickly become a big pile of trash on Christmas morning. But it doesn't have to all be tossed in the trash, many of those holiday items can be recycled.
The Kent County Department of Public Works is helping residents reduce waste this holiday season with the release of its 2023 Holiday Recycling Guide, which details how to properly recycle and dispose of common holiday-related items.
Items for curbside recycling bins include:
- Glass bottles and jars
- Food cartons
- Hard plastics like jugs and tubs
- Cardboard
- Metal cans and foil
- Paper cups
Items needing special disposal, and can't go into recycling bins, include:
- Holiday décor: Trees, wreaths and garland cannot be recycled but can be reused or donated. Live trees can be composted through local waste services.
- Wrapping paper and gift bags are not usually recyclable due to heavy inks, dyes, and glitters, but they can be reused. Plain kraft paper can be easily recycled in a curbside recycling bin.
- Holiday string lights are recyclable through special collection drop-offs but should not be placed in a curbside bin because they can get tangled in the DPW’s equipment.
- Packaging: Online gift ordering means an excess of packaging waste this time of year. Styrofoam and flexible plastic films, like bubble wrap and shipping envelopes, can be recycled at special drop off locations.
- Batteries: Rechargeable and button batteries can be brought to a DPW SafeChemlocation for safe disposal, while alkaline batteries can be taped and placed in the trash.
- Frying oil: Whether from latkes or a turkey, frying oil should not be dumped down the drain or tossed in the trash. Bringing it to one of DPW’s SafeChem locations will allow it to be made into biofuel.
